Columbia  ®nit)er^ftj) 

intljeCitPoflftugork 


LIBRARY 


SIX   YEARS 

IN  THE 

MONASTERIES  OF  ITALY, 

AND 

TWO   YEARS 

IN    THE 

ISLANDS  OF  THE  MEDITERRANEAN 
AND  IN  ASIA  MINOR : 

CONTAINING 

A.  VIEW  OF  THE  MANNERS  AND  CUSTOMS  OF  THE   POPISH  CLERGY  IN 

IRELAND,  FRANCE, ITALY,  MALTA, CORFU, ZANTE, 

SMYRNA,   &C. 

WITH  ANECDOTES  AND  REMARKS 

ILLUSTRATING   SOME   OF  THE   PECULIAR   DOCTRINES   OF  THE 
ROMAN    CATHOLIC    CHURCH. 


BY  REV.  S.  I.  MAHONEY, 

LATB    A    OAPDCHIN    FRIAR    IN    THE    CONVENT    OP    THE    IMMACULATE 
CONCEPTION    AT    ROME. 


Oix  dviavet  tov  Aai/iovus  ova(7tv  to  ^priffKSvetii 
A  superstitious  worship  is  not  pleasing  to  God. 


BOSTON: 

JORDAN,  SWIFT  AND  WILEY. 
18  4  6. 


% 


PREFACE. 


Among  the  many  works  lately  published  in  this  country  on 
the  subject  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  not  one,  it  has  been 
observed,  is  fitted  to  give  the  Protestant  reader  a  just  notion 
of  the  leading  features  of  that  religion.  It  is  not  fnough,  in  I 
order  that  Protestants  may  justly  appreciate  the  blessings  of 
gospel  freedom,  to  lay  open  to  the  world  the  conduct  of  some 
few  of  the  clergy — to  hold  up,  to  the  execration  of  the  public, 
the  vices  practised  within  the  well  secured  cloisters  of  nuns, 
and  to  expose  the  artifices  and  impositions  of  priests — but  it  is 
also  necessary  to  make  it  clear,  that  such  effects  are  the  neces- 
sary consequences  of  the  system  itself.  And  who  can  better 
fulfil  that  duty  (for  duty  it  certainly  is)  than  some  one  who 
formerly  belonged  to  the  Romish  priesthood  ]  The  author  of 
the  following  pages  often  wished  to  see  the  subject  taken  up  by 
abler  hands  than  his  own,  but  his  wishes  have  been  hitherto  in 
vain.  Having  spenta  great  part  of  his  life — from  his  sixteenth  to 
his  twenty-third  year — secluded  within  the  walls  of  a  monastery, 
and  having  been  educated  in  the  capital  of  popery,  he  offers  to 
the  public  the  following  pages — a  narrative  of  his  own  life  and 
experience — hoping  they  may  serve  as  an  antidote  against  the 
sly  and  plausible  endeavours  of  popish  priests,  who,  even  in 
this  free  country,  with  the  true  spirit  of  their  church,  wish,  and 
are  daily  endeavouring  to  subvert  the  faith  of  unstable  Protest- 
ants. If  he  succeed  in  fully  impressing  on  the  minds  of  Pro- 
testants the  dangers  of  popery,  and  in  unmasking  the  plausible 
excuses  of  its  advocates,  he  will  not  consider  his  labour  as 
thrown  away.  If  he  succeed  in  saving  one,  only  one,  whether 
Protestant  or  Romanist,  male  or  female,  from  the  dangerous 
gulf  of  monachism,  he  will  think  himself  more  than  repaid. 
Recommending  the  work  to  the  Father  of  light,  who  sees  the 
purity  of  his  intentions,  and  without  whose  aid  no  beneficial 
results  can  follow  from  it,  he  submits  himself  and  it  to  a  reli- 
gious and  discerning  public. 


:*'  i^  '*'  *"'  O 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I 

Introduction — The  Author's  birth  and  education — Dedication  of 
children — Evil  effects  thereof — Two  instances — First  confession — Its 
effects  on  the  Author's  mind — The  Capuchin  Superior  in  Ireland — 
Meddling  of  pijests  in  private  families,     .         .         .         .         ,         1 

CHAPTER  II. 

Departure  for  Rome — My  father's  last  words  at  parting — Reflections 
— Arrival  in  Paris — French  clergy — State  of  religion  in  France — Dis- 
respect shown  to  the  clergy  by  the  French — An  instance  of  it — Lyons 
— Conversation  with  an  innkeeper — His  description  of  French  reli- 
gion— French  Protestants — Church  of  Lyons — Arians — Conversion 
of  1500  Papists — Their  return  to  popery — For  what  reason — Prelent 

revivals, 7- 

CHAPTER  in. 

Arrival  at  Rome — Cardinal  Micara,  General  of  the  Capuchins — How 
received  by  him — The  lay-brother  cicerone — In  what  department  of 
curiosities  he  excelled — Removal  to  Frascati — Description  of  Frascati 
and  its  environs — Reception — The  English  not  Christians — How  ex- 
plained— Italian  civility  to  strangers — Taking  the  habit — Ceremonies 
used  on  that  occasion, 12 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Rule  of  St.  Francis — Reasons  for  being  unable  to  obtain  a  sight 
of  it  before  receiving  the  habit — Tradition  attached  to  it — Francis' 
conversation  with  the  miraculous  crucifix — Pope  Honorius — Canoni- 
cally  elected  popes — Infallibility — Lents — Wonderful  change  of  flesh- 
meat  into  fish, 19 

CHAPTER  V. 
Continuation  of  the  rule — Monkish  vow  of  poverty — ^How  observ- 
ed— Anecdote   of  a  Carmelite — Masses — Obedience — Education  of 
Novices — An  ass  turned  into  an  ox — The  tree  of  obedience,     .      25 

CHAPTER  VI. 
What  excited  Francis  to  found  his  order — Benedictines — Santoni — 
State  of  the  religious  orders  in  the  thirteenth  century — State  of  the 
people — Francis'  ambition, 31 

CHAPTER  VIL 
Novitiate — Education  of   Novices — Master-novice — His  qualifica- 
tions— Popish  prayers — Canonization  and  Beatification — Canonical 
hours, 36 

CHAPTER  Vin. 

Breviary — Its  unwilling  agency  in  leading   many  priests  to  the 

truth — Story  of  a  Tyrolese  monk — His  conversion — The  cause  of  it — 

Remarks  upon  it  by  a  professor  of  theology — How  a  popish  priest 

may  commit  seven  mortal  sins  per  diem,         ....       42 

7 


VIU  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Design  of  the  Breviary — Pius  V.'s  bull — Kxtract  from  it — Marcel- 
lus — Life   of  Gregory  the  Great — His  works — Life  of  Leo  L — His 
great  exploits — Remarks  thereon — Nunneries  of  Tuscany,      .         47 

CHAPTER  X. 
Continuation  of  extracts  from  the  Breviary — Marcellinus — The 
pope  sacrifices  to  idols — Why  he  could  not  be  judged  by  the  church^ 
Infallibility,  a  species  of  impeccability — John — The  testimony  of  a 
horse  in  favour  of  his  claims — Remarks  thereon — A  sample  of  Gregory 
the  Great's  works — Review  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome's  claim  to  supremacy 
— Never  acknowledged  by  the  Greek  church — Uninterrupted  succes- 
sion— Imaginary  popes  manufactured,  ....         54 

CHAPTER  XL 
Continuation  of  extracts  from  the  Breviary — St.  Vincent  Ferreri — 
Miracle — Suspension  of  the  laws  of  nature — Remarks — Adoration  of 
Vincent  at  Valencia — St.  Anthony  of  Padua — Preaches  to  the  birds — 
Hymn  composed  in  his  honour — His  miracles — Sailing  without  ship 
or  boat — Removal  of  mountains — St.  Denis  walking  with  his  head  in 
hi»hand — Shrine  of  an  Italian  saint — Concluding  remarks  on  the 
Breviary, 61 

CHAPTER  XII. 
Evils  attending  a  monkish  life — Novices  kept  in  ignorance  of  the 
real  state  of  a  monk — Passions  to  which  monks  are  subject — Hatred 
and  anger — Ambition — Tragical  story  of  two  Tuscan  monks — Method 
of  conveying  moral  instruction — Narrative  of  an  occurrence  said  to 
have  taken  place  in  the  Capuchin  convent  of  Frascati — Why  the 
Capuchins  wear  beards — The  wood  of  the  true  cross,      .         .         71 

CHAPTER  XHI. 
Termination  of  Novitiate — Votes  of  the  other  monks  required  be- 
fore the  novice  can  be  admitted  to  profession — Ceremonies  used  at  the 
profession  of  a  monk — The  monastic  vows — Good  and  bad  monks — 
Story  of  a  bad  monk — Monkish  persecutions — The  bad  monk's  flight 
from  Turin — How  treated  by  the  general  at  Rome — His  secularization 
— Expenses  incurred  before" he  could  obtain  it — The  bad  monk  turned 
into  a  zealous  preacher  of  the  gospel — Classification  of  monks,  .     79 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
Convents  of  study — The  employment  in  which  those  monks  who  • 
are  void  of  talents  are  engaged — Monastic  studies — Logic — Metaphy- 
sics— Its  use  in  supporting  popish  doctrines — Dogmatic  theology — 
Its  evil  tendency  —  Mutilation  of  Scripture  —  Purgatory — Popish 
theologians — Polemical  divinity — Character  of  popish  polemics — How 
they  excuse  themselves — Moral  theology — Auricular  confession — Its 
instrumentality  in  the  support  of  priestcraft,  .         .         .         91 

CHAPTER  XV. 
Continuation  of  remarks  upon  moral  theology — Mortal  and  venial 
sins — Precepts  of  the  church — Prohibition  to  sell  flesh-meat  on  Fridays 
and  Saturdays — Punishment  of  those  who  transgress  the  precept  of 
fasting — Confession  and  communion — Sentence  of  excommunication 
— Number  of  popish  sacraments — The  Eucharist — Anathema  of  the 
Council  of  Trent  against  all  who  deny  the  real  presence — Absurdity 
of  that  doctrine — One  hundred  thousand  Christs  created  every  day — 


CONTENTS.  IX 

Popish  inventions  for  the  support  of  the  doctrine  of  Transuhstantia- 
tion — The  miraculous  corporal — Miraculous  particle — State  of  the 
Jews  at  Rome — A  mule's  testimony  of  the  truth  of  the  real  presence 
— Anecdote  of  Rabelais — Sale  of  masses — Cost  of  a  high  mass — 
Reflections — The  treatise  upon  oaths — No  faith  to  be  kept  with  here- 
tics— Dispensing  power  of  priests — Murder  of  Protestant  clergymen 
in  Ireland — Jesuitical  morality, 100 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
Reflections  upon  monastic  studies — Extraordinary  charity  of  those 
who  endeavour  to  excuse  doctrinal  error — The  young  monk  begins  to 
see  monachism  as  it  really  is — Schools  in  which  he  learns  the  secrets 
of  monachism — Want  of  decorum  in  reciting  the  divine  office — 
Gradual  corruption  of  the  young  monk — Monks  bons  vivants — The 
manner  in  which  the  income  of  convents  is  spent — Belly  versus 
Obedience,  a  scene  in  monkish  life — Cardinal  Micara  in  jeopardy — 
The  foregoing  scene  dramatized — Calumny  and  detraction  of  monks 
— Their  conversation  in  the  refectory — Monkish  luxuries  obtained  at 
the  sacrifice  of  honour  and  virtue — Story  of  a  young  man,  the  victim 
of  monkish  calumny — Clerk  of  the  kitchen — Manner  of  punishing  a 
bad  cook — Monkish  fasting  and  abstinence — Lent — Dimiers — Colla- 
tion— Monkish  false  pretensions, 116 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
Effects  of  bad  example — Its  effect  on  the  Author's  mind — He  seeks 
the  advice  of  his  confessor — The  confessor's  apology  for  the  vices  of 
liis  order — A  word  of  advice  from  the  same  for  the  Author's  private 
use — Tampering  with  the  consciences  of  others,  as  practised  in  the 
confessional — The  Author  practises  upon  his  confessor's  advice — 
Falls  into  infidelity — Argues  publicly  against  the  existence  of  God — 
Becomes  an  object  of  suspicion  to  his  fellow  monks — Search  made  in 
his  room  for  heretical  books  and  papers — Johnson's  Dictionary  con- 
■victed  of  heresy — Ordinatipn — Number  of  orders  in  the  Romish  church 
— In  what  the  candidate  for  ordination  is  examined  —  Character 
of  Monsignor  Macioti,  Suffragan- bishop  of  Villetri  —  Episcopus  in 
partibus 129 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
Jealousies  and  enmities  of  monks  of  different  orders — Reasons  for 
entertaining  such  hostile  feelings  against  each  other — Sample  of 
monkish  lampoons — The  immaculate  conception  of  the  blessed  Virgin 
— The  Dominicans  and  Franciscans  declare  war  against  each  other — 
Monkish  imposture — Tragic  story  of  Jetzer — The  ghost  of  a  Domini- 
can appears  to  him — Jetzer  undergoes  the  discipline  in  order  to 
redeem  his  brother's  soul  from  purgatory — The  virgin  prior — Revela- 
tions made  by  the  Virgin  to  Jetzer — He  receives  the  five  wounds  that 
pierced  Jesus  on  the  Cross — Jetzer  discovers  the  imposture — The 
Dominicans  attempt  to  poison  him — He  flies  from  them,  and  seeks 
the  protection  of  the  civil  authorities — The  actors  in  the  infernal  plot 
burned  alive — Jetzer's  death — The  use  which  the  Franciscans  make 
of  the  foregoing  narrative — Number  of  religious  orders — How  distin- 
guished from  each  other — Division  of  monks — Number  of  the  clergy 
m  the  capital  of  popery — Number  of  beggars,      .         .         .         142 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
Hope  of  salvation  placed  in  being  buried  in  a  Franciscan  habit — 
Story  of  a  soul  saved  from  eternal  damnation  through  the  merits  of 
St  Francis — Emoluments  derived  by  the  monks  from  the  popular 


X  CONTENTS. 

superstitions — Story  of  an  heir  who  was  struck  dead  for  defrauding 
the  Franciscans  of  their  due — Ways  practised  by  monks  for  promoting 
their  own  interests— Their  tampermg  with  the  females  of  those  families 
over  which  they  have  acquired  influence — Story  in  illustration  of  the 
foregoing — Allurements  held  out  to  females  to  enter  nunneries — 
Monkish  treachery  illustrated — A  young  gentleman's  own  account  of 
the  snares  laid  by  monks  for  himself,  and  his  sisters — One  of  his  sis- 
ters dies  of  a  broken  heart  on  discovering  her  mistake — Happy  termi- 
nation of  the  young  man's  misfortunes,         ....         152 

CHAPTER  XX. 
Adoration  and  prayers  to  saints — Confirmed  by  the  Council  of 
Trent — Absurdity  of  that  doctrine — Image-worship — Papists  really 
and  truly  idolaters — How  they  excuse  themselves — Adoration  of  the 
statue  of  Saint  Januarius  at  Naples — Blasphemous  prayer  addressed 
to  Jesus  Christ  by  the  Neapolitans — Idol-worship  practised  by  all 
false  religions — Modern  Greeks  and  Romans  inexcusable — History  of 
the  rise  and  progress  of  image-worship  in  the  church  of  Christ — 
Image-worship  abhorred,  by  the  primitive  church — Opinions  of  some 
of  the  early  fathers  on  that  subject — Images  of  saints  admitted  as 
ornaments  in  the  churches  in  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  century — 
Gregory  the  Great  condemns  image-worship — The  monks  of  the 
eighth  century  establish  image-worship  by  their  own  example — Edict 
of  Leo,  the  Isaurian,  concerning  images — The  priests  and  monks  ex- 
cite the  people  to  rebellion,  in  consequence  of  it — Leo  orders  all 
images  to  be  publicly  burnt — Image-worship  favoured  by  popes — 
IconoclastEB,  and  Iconolatrffi — Charlemagne  declares  against  image- 
worship — Claudius,  Bishop  of  Turin,  orders  all  images  to  be  cast  out 
of  the  churches — Image-worship  established  bylaw  in  the  eastern  and 
western  churches,  and  triumphs  till  the  era  of  the  reformation — Effects 
of  the  reformation  on  image-worship,  ....         169 

CHAPTER  XXL 
Image-worship  in  the  nineteenth  century — Statue  of  St.  Peter — 
Opinions  as  to  its  identity  with  one  of  the  pagan  divinities  of  ancient 
Rome — Story  illustrating  the  vengeance  which  it  takes  on  those  who 
dishonour  it — x\nother,  whereby  it  becomes  clear  that  his  brazen 
paintship  has  the  power  of  protecting  his  devout  worshippers — Reflec- 
tions,          180 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
Images  of  the  Virgin  Mary — La  Santa  Casa  di  Loretto — History  of 
the  Holy  House — Income  of  the  priests  attached  to  it — Sale  of  vermin 
— The  miraculous  image  of  the  Virgin  Mary  at  Basil — Expedient  of 
the  priests  for  reviving  the  dying  superstition — Letter  of  the  Virgin 
Mary  to  a  reformed  clergyman — Notes  explanatory  of  the  foregoing 
letter — Late  repentance — Litany  of  the  Virgin — St.  Peter,  gate-keeper 
of  heaven — Guhelmus — George — St.  Anthony,  protector  of  swine — 
Different  offices  assigned  to  the  crowd  of  saints  in  the  popish  calendar 
—Reflections, .         189 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
Continuation  of  remarks  upon  image-worship — Popish  unity — 
Madonna  della  letfera  at  Messina — The  Virgin  Mary  a  linguist — C-opy 
of  the  Virgin's  letter  to  the  Messinians — Translation  of  the  foregoing 
— Spain,  and  its  idolatries — Spanish  Jesuits — Spanish  form  of  saluta- 
tions— Portugal — Don  Miguel  favoured  by  the  priests — A  miracle 
wrought  in  confirmation  of  his  authority. — The  Virgin  delivered  of  a 
boy  twelve  years  old — Effect  of  the  discovery  on  Don  Miguel's  govern- 
ment— Concluding  remarks  upon  image-worship,  .         .        202 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  XXIV 
Relics — ^Practice  of  the  primitive  church — Relic-wrvrship  established 
by  the  pope — Manner  of  procuring  saint-bodies — The  three  heads  of 
John  the  Baptist — The  offal  of  the  charnel-houses  made  the  object 
of  a  Christian's  adoration — St.  Crispin  of  Viterbo — St.  Spiridione — 
Contest  between  tlie  Greeks  and  Latins,  for  the  possession  of  his  body 
— Relic-worship  at  Malta — Maltese  quack-doctor — Relics  preserved 
in  the  church  of  St.  John  at  Malta — Attempt  to  steal  a  relic — 
Anecdotes  of  the  plague  at  Malta — Translation  of  a  saint's  body  from 
the  catacombs  at  Rome  to  Malta — Stupendous  miracle  performed  by 
touching  the  foregoing  body — Reflections — Milk  of  the  Virgin  Mary 
— Shrine  of  Thomas  i  Becket  at  Canterbury — Henry  VIII.  and  his 
myrmidons — Relation  of  the  manner  in  which  the  Virgin's  milk 
found  its  way  to  the  monastery  of  St.  Mary's,  near  Falmouth — Con- 
cluding remarks  on  relic-worship,         213 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
Indulgences — When  first  granted — Leo  X.  publishes  indulgences — 
Form  of  indulgences — Language  of  indulgence-mountebanks — Ex- 
tract from  the  "  Tax  of  the  Sacred  Roman  Chancery" — Dispute  be- 
tween the  Augustinians  and  Dominicans — Luther,  and  the  reformation 
— Galileo  Galilei — Decline  of  indulgences  in  Italy — The  pope  grants 
indulgences  —  gratis,  because  he  could  find  no  purchasers  —  The 
Cruzada — Spaniards  obliged  by  the  secular  arm  to  purchase  indul- 
gences— Probable  income  of  the  pope  from  the  sale  of  indulgences  in 
Spain — Bishops  endowed  with  the  power  of  granting  and  selling 
indulgences — Obliged  to  pay  an  annual  rent  to  the  pope — A  bishop 
suspended  from  his  functions,  and  confined  to  a  convent,  by  reason 
of  not  being  able  to  pay  the  pope's  rent,       ....         238 

CHAPTER  XXVI, 
Conscientious  bishops — Monsignor  Gondolfi — Maronites — Mon- 
signor  Gondolfi  sent  in  the  character  of  apostolic  delegate  to  the  east- 
ern churches — Decline  of  popery  and  cause  of  that  decline,  among 
the  Maronites — Gondolfi's  instructions — Cunning  of  his  holiness, 
cloaked  under  a  love  for  the  souls  of  the  Maronites — Gondolfi's  early 
life — State  of  the  monks  attached  to  the  holy  sepulchre,  at  Jerusalem 
— Gondolfi  endeavours  to  reform  them — The  monks  accuse  him  of 
heresy  at  the  court  of  Rome — Obliged  to  be  on  his  guard  against  the 
machinations  of  the  monks — He  removes  to  Mount  Libanus — State 
of  the  Maronite  clergy  and  people — Distribution  of  the  Scriptures 
made  by  the  Protestant  missionaries  among  the  Maronites — The 
Maronite  clergy  accuse  Gondolfi  at  Rome — He  is  recalled,  but  refuses 
to  obey — He  is  expelled  from  the  convent — Arrival  of  his  successor — 
Bibles  burned  by  thousands — Gondolfi  is  poisoned  by  a  Maronite 
priest — The  Maronites  report  that  his  death  was  caused  by  the  ven- 
geance of  God — Indulgences  for  committing  sin — Alexander  VI. — 
Massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew — Fra  Paolo — Curious  theological  dis- 
quisition,     251 

CHAPTER  XXVn. 
Departure  from  Rome — Refused  permission  to  return  to  Ireland — 
Plan  of  escape — How  executed — Arrival  at  Marseilles  and  Lyons — ■ 
Geneva — Monsieur  Cheneviere — Socinianism — English  travellers  on 

the  continent  of  Europe — Rabbi  M s,  the  conveited  Jew — His 

perfidy — Arrival  in  London — Treatment  received  from  false  and  per- 
fidious friends, 270 


Xll  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 
State  of  reMgion  in  Malta — Number  of  popish  priests — Their  ig- 
norance— Ignorance  of  the  people — Bishop  Caruana — Power  of  the 
pope  in  Malta — Anecdote  of  a  Maltese  attorney — Doctor  Naudi — 
Maltese  medical  college — Naudi's  treachery — He  is  found  out  by  an 
English  missionary — Maltese  monks — Number  of  monasteries  in 
Malta — Paulotists — Dominicans — Carmelites — Ignorance  of  the  Mal- 
tese monks — Convent  of  Capuchins  at  Malta — Padre  Pietro,  the 
Capuchin  Cusiode — Padre  Calcedonio — Story  of  a  child  violated  by 
him  in  Santa  Maura — He  is  sent  to  the  galleys — Remission  of  his 
sentence,  through  the  influence  of  General  Rivarola — Esteemed  as  a 
saint  by  the  Maltese, 284 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Continuation  of  remarks  upon  the  popish  clergy  of  Malta — Their 
general  mcontinency — Father  Butler,  chaplain  to  the  English  forces  at 
Malta — Meaning  of  the  initials,  "  D.  D."  affixed  to  his  name — His 
mama  for  making  proselytes — Sampfe  of  popish  conversions — A  Pro- 
testant converted  to  popery  after  death — Another  sample  of  Father 
Butler's  way  of  making  proselytes — Father  Butler  appears  in  a  new 
character — Sir  Dominick  Ritual,  and  Sir  Paul  Text-book — Sir  Domi- 
nick  disgraces  his  knighthood — Concluding  remarks  on  popery  in 
Malta, 299 

CHAPTER  XXX. 

Rev.  Mr.  Lowndes,  Protestant  missionary — Greek  priests  at  Corfu — 
State  of  religion  at  Corfu — Popish  clergy  and  archbishop — Conversa- 
tion with  the  popish  archbishop — His  attempt  to  wheedle  me  again 
into  popery — My  answer — Persecution  by  the  popish  priests,  and  its 
effect — Zante — Popish  priests  at  Zante — Mr.  Croggon,  the  Wesleyan 
missionary — Letter  from  Smyrna  to  Mr.  Lowndes — The  popish 
priests  attempt  to  poison  me — Effects  of  the  poison — Departure  from 
Zante — Arrival  at  Smyrna — Conclusion,      ....         308 


SIX   YEARS 


MONASTERIES  OF  ITALY,  &c. 


CHAPTER  I. 


Introduction — The  Author's  birth  and  education — Dedication  of 
children— Evil  effects  thereof— Two  instances— First  confession 
—Its  effects  on  the  Author's  mind— The  Capuchin  Superior  in 
Ireland — Meddling  of  priests  in  private  families. 

The  religion  of  Rome,  miscalled  Catholic,  a  short 
history  of  which,  as  it  exists  in  the  monasteries  and  other 
popish  institutions  of  Italy  and  the  islands  of  the  Medi- 
terranean, will  form  the  subject  of  this  book,  is  so  well 
guarded  by  the  passions — the  attendants  of  human  nature 
— that  it  requires  more  than  an  ordinary  effort  of  the 
human  mind  to  free  itself  from  its  galling  trammels.  It 
is  indeed  the  religion  of  human  nature,  whether  it  be 
regarded  in  a  temporal  or  spiritual  light.  If  in  the  latter, 
the  influence  exercised  over  the  minds  of  its  members  by 
a  wily  priesthood,  and  the  dangerous  security,  so  diff"er- 
ent  from  the  gospel/ear  and  trembling,  into  which  they 
are  lulled  by  the  organs  of  confession,  and  forgiveness 
by  the  mouth  of  a  priest,  fully  prove  that  human  nature 
is  only  flattered  by  its  operations  :  if  in  the  former,  the 
numerous  ceremonies  so  pleasing  to  the  senses,  the  su- 
perstitious veneration  in  which  its  clergy  are  held,  and 
the  opportunities  possessed  by  them  of  reconciling  the 
people  to  every  passing  event,  and  which  opportunities 
they  never  let  slip  ;  all  these  form  separate  and  convinc- 
2  1 


2  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

ing  proofs,  that  human  nature  is  the  foundation  stone,  on 
which  the  Romish  church  is  built.  The  foregoing 
reflections  were  strongly  brought  to  my  mind,  whilst 
considering  my  own  peculiar  case,  and  the  difficulties  I 
had  to  struggle  with  before  embracing  the  blessed  and 
consoling  doctrine  of  justification  through  the  all-atoning 
blood  of  Jesus  Christ.  To  break  not  only  through  tho 
prejudices  of  education,  but  also  to  set  at  defiance  the 
workings  of  the  passions  by  which  the  church  of  Rome 
is  upheld,  is,  all  must  confess,  no  easy  matter.  How  I 
have  been  able  to  accomplish  that  great  task  will  be  seen 
in  the  sequel.  To  the  history  of  my  early  life,  though 
it  may  contain  many  things,  which  worldly  prudence 
would  consider  as  best  kept  in  my  own  bosom,  yet  as  it 
is  a  picture — a  faithful  one  too — of  the  education  of 
Roman  Catholic  children  in  Ireland,  and  especially  of 
those  destined  for  the  priesthood,  I  have  no  hesitation  to 
give  publicity. 

I  was  born  in  the  city  of  C ,  Ireland.     My  father 

was  a  corn  merchant  of  that  city,  respectably  connected, 
though  not  rich.  I  am  the  last  of  five  children,  and  was 
destined  for  the  church  from  the  hour  of  my  birth.  I 
say  destined  ;  for  strange  as  it  may  appear,  such  a  cus- 
tom of  setting  apart  young  children  for  the  service  of  the 
church,  prevailed  and  still  prevails  in  Ireland,  as  well  as 
in  most  parts  of  popish  Europe.  The  child's  inclination 
is  never  consulted,  and  how  could  it  be,  when  his  future 
profession  is  marked  out,  whilst  he  is  yet  an  infant,  and 
unable  to  judge  for  himself?  If,  however,  he  should  refuse, 
when  arrived  at  the  age  of  understanding,  to  fulfil  what 
ihis  father  had  promised,*  he  is  looked  upon,  not  only  by 
ithe  members  of  his  own  family,  but  also  by  his  neigh- 
|bours  and  acquaintances,  as  one  living  in  a  state  of  alien- 
jation  from  God,  and  as  one  who  never  can  have  any 
success  in  the  transactions  of  the  world.  I  knew  in  Italy 
a  young  man — he  belonged  to  Albano,  a  town  in  the 
papal  states — who,  not  coming  to  the  age  of  understanding 
till  after  his  father's  death,  thought  proper  to  consult  his 

!  *  The  selecting  of  a  new-bom  child  for  the  priesthood  is  consi- 
1  dered  as  a  vow,  or  promise. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  3 

own  inclinations,  and  to  decline  tlie  honour  of  the  priest- 
hood, though  his  father,  at  his  birth,  had  dedicated  him  to 
the  church.  Wishing  afterwards  to  enter  into  the  mar- 
ried state,  he  could  find  no  young  woman,  his  equal  in 
rank,  who  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  unite  her  lot  with 
his.  He  was  once  on  the  point  of  being  married  to  one 
of  a  neighbouring  town,  but  when  she  came  to  the  know- 
ledge of  his  having  been  destined  by  his  father  for  the 
priesthood,  she  immediately  broke  off  the  match,  although 
he  was  possessed  of  a  handsome  fortune,  and  very  well 
able  to  maintain  her  respectably.  All  are  taught,  that  a 
curse  from  on  high  would  fall  either  on  themselves  or  their 
children,  should  they  unite  themselves  to  one,  promised 
from  his  infancy  to  God.  I  knew  another — his  name 
was  Papi  — ,  a  young  man  of  a  most  prepossessing  ap- 
pearance, and  possessed  of  a  cultivated  mind,  who,  refus- 
ing to  become  a  priest,  was  absolutely  turned  adrift  on 
the  -world  by  his  father,  and  all  this,  because  the  latter 
had  promised  him  to  God  from  his  infancy.  Starvation 
at  length  obhged  him  to  succumb  to  his  father's  wishes, 
and  he  was  sacrificed — another  unwilling  victim — at  the 
monstrous  shrine  of  popular  superstition.  I  saw  him 
after  his  ordination,  and  he  had  no  difficulty  in  complain- 
ing to  me  of  the  cruelty  of  his  parents,  who  obliged  him 
to  embrace  a  profession  for  which  he  had  no  vocation. 
I  could  mention  many  other  cases  of  this  nature,  which 
fell  under  my  own  observation,  but  the  two  related  will 
be  sufficient  to  show  the  evil  effects  necessarily  following 
the  dedication  of  children. 

My  father,  however,  had  no  occasion  to  threaten  me 
with  such  extremes,  for  I  never  resisted,  but,  on  the  con- 
trary, was  rather  desirous  of  entering  the  church,  though 
indeed  had  I  murmured  against  fulfilling  his  vow,  I  am 
almost  certain,  that  he,  although  the  kindest  and  best  of 
fathers,  would  have  treated  me  Avith  the  same  rigour,  with 
which  rriy  friend  Papi  had  been  treated  by  his  ; — such 
power  have  superstition  and  the  erroneous  ideas  of  reli- 
gion over  even  the  best  minds. 

It  being  then  understood,  that  I  was  destined  for  the 
church,  my  earliest  notions   were   formed  by  priests. 


4  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

Every  moment  I  could  spare  from  my  studies  was  spent 
either  with  them,  or  in  some  place  under  their  direction. 
At  ten  years  of"  age,  I  was  taught  to  babble  the  answering 
of  mass  in  Latin,  and  obliged  to  remain  daily  two  or 
.three  hours  at  the  chapel,  as  Roman  Catholic  churches 
I  are  called  in  Ireland.  Sunday  was  a  day  of  trouble  to 
me — not  of  devotion  ;  being  forced  to  spend  nearly  the 
whole  day  serving  masses,  of  which  I  very  soon  grew 
tired.  Indeed,  there  was  nothing  in  the  repeating  of 
words  in  Latin — a  language  I  did  not  then  understand — 
which  could  make  amends  for  the  trouble,  and  I  often 
longed  to  be  as  free  as  my  other  brothers,  who,  not  being 
intended  for  the  church,  were  allowed  to  divert  them- 
selves with  their  equals.  The  time  for  making  my  first 
confession  now  approached.  I  shall  for  ever  remember 
with  what  a  palpitating  heart  I  first  approached  the  seat 
of  judgment — the  confessional — called  by  Romanists 
"  the  tribunal  of  penance,"  How  ir-r  young  inexperi- 
enced heart,  impressed  with  an  exalted  idea  of  the 
priest's  power  of  forgiving  sin,  sank  within  me,  as  I 
knelt  down  at  the  feet  of  him,  who,  I  was  led  to  believe, 
represented  the  person  of  Jesus  Christ.  It  remains  still 
impressed  on  my  mind,  with  what  an  authoritative  tone 
of  voice  he  questioned  me  on  my  most  secret  thoughts, 
reproving  me  for  this  and  giving  penance  for  that ;  and 
how  happy  I  felt,  and  how  free  from  all  care,  when  he 
pronounced  in  Latin  the  form  of  absolution.  Yes,  if  an 
ignorance  of  my  lost  sinful  state,  and  a  reliance  on  man 
for  salvation,  can  be  called  happiness,  I  was  then  happy 
indeed.  But  was  my  heart  changed  in  the  mean  time  ? 
Or  did  I  feel  a  detestation  of  sin,  and  love  the  Lord 
Jesus  for  his  own  sake  ?  Quite  the  contrary  !  I  never 
thought  about  the  necessity  of  a  change  of  heart ;  and 
my  prayers  were,  by  the  advice  of  my  father  confessor, 
addressed  to  the  Virgin  and  the  Saints,  and  not  to  Him 
who  alone  is  able  to  grant  the  humble  penitent  a  true 
sorrow  for  sin,  and  to  inflam©  his  mind  with  a  holy  love 
for  himself.  So  far  from  feeling  a  sorrow .  for  sin,  my 
ambition  was  only  excited  the  more  to  become  a  priest, 
and  thereby  become  vested  with  the  extraordinary  power 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY.    ETC.  O 

of  forgiving  the  sins  of  others  ;  thinking  at  the  same  time, 
that  if  I  once  had  possession  of  the  superhuman  power 
of  forgiving  others,  I  could  also,  a  fortiori,  forgive  my- 
self without  being  indebted  to  another  person  for  that 
favour.  Such  were  my  peculiar  feelings  after  my  first 
confession,  and  such,  I  am  confident,  are  the  feelings  of 
the  greater  number  of  Roman  Catholics  under  similar 
circumstances. 

Having  now  nearly  reached  my  sixteenth  year,  and 
having  acquired  as  much  Latin  and  Greek  at  a  prepara- 
tory school,  as  was  deemed  sufficient  for  admittance  to 
college,  it  began  to  be  debated  upon  in  the  family  circle, 
whether  I  should  go  to  Maynooth,  or  rather  be  sent  to 
Rome.  The  latter  place  was  preferred  ;  and  the  reason 
it  was  so,  it  may  perhaps  be"  necessary  to  mention  here. 
It  will  ^ive  the  Protestant  reader  some  idea  of  the  influ- 
ence exercised  by  priests  in  those  families  with  which 
they  are  intimate. 

A  Capuchin  friar,  provincial  of  the  order,  in  Ireland, 
was  a  frequent  visiter  at  my  father's  house.  He  took 
particular  notice  of  me,  of  course,  as  one  destined  to 
become  a  priest  one  day  himself.  He  even,  at  my 
father's  request,  often  examined  me  in  the  Latin  gram- 
mar, and  cried  out  "  bravo,  bravo,'"  if  I  could  conjugate 
amo,  or  decline  musa.  He  took  care,  however,  never 
to  go  farther  in  his  examinations  than  the  grammar,  the 
reason  for  which  I  never  could  learn,  unless  it  be,  which 
is  not  improbable,  that  he  knew  no  farther  himself. 
When  the  subject  of  my  removal  to  college  began  to  be 
debated  upon,  he  also  gave  his  opinion,  and  of  course 
decided  in  favour  of  his  own  order.  The  going  so  far 
from  home  (it  being  necessary  to  go  to  Rome,  in  order 
to  become  a  member  of  his  order)  was  for  some  time 
objected  to  ;  but  he  being  my  father's  confessor  soon 
overruled  that  objection,  by  laying  open  the  respectability 
of  his  order,  and  the  powerful  intercession  of  its  founder 
St.  Francis,  and  the  happiness  of  having  a  son  so  inti- 
mately connected  with  the  holy  patriarch.  These 
weighty  reasons  met  with  due  attention  from  my  father, 
and  all  thoughts  of  going  to  Maynooth  college  were  soon 
2* 


6  SIX    YEARS    IN   THE 

laid  aside,  and  preparations  were  immediately  made  for 
my  journey  to  Rome.  I  was  not,  at  this  time,  old 
enough  to  see  into  the  reason,  that  the  old  friar  was  so 
anxious  that  I  should  join  his  order,  but  I  afterwards  sus- 
j)ected  it,  when  I  became  aware  that  the  remittances  of 
money  sent  to  me  by  my  father,  passed  through  his 
hands.  It  is  reasonable  then  to  suppose,  that  he  did  not 
want  for  excuses  to  apply  some  of  it  to  his  own  private 
use.  Whether  he  has  done  so,  or  not,  I  cannot  assert 
with  any  certainty ;  but  this  I  am  sure  of,  that  I  never 
received  more  than  two-thirds  of  what  my  father,  as  I 
learned  from  his  letters,  had  committed  to  him  for  my 
use.  The  deficiency  was  accounted  for,  by  his  being 
obliged  to  pay  the  postage  of  letters,  sent  by  his  friends 
in  Rome,  relative  to  me,  an'd  by  his  sending  them  some 
presents,  to  encourage  them  to  continue  their  friendship 
and  protection  of  me.  I  once  complained  to  my  father 
by  letter  of  this  deficiency,  but  the  above  reasons  of  the 
old  friar's  soon  quieted  him.  To  do  him  justice,  he  gave 
me  a  great  many  letters  to  his  private  friends  at  Rome, 
where  he  had  studied  himself  some  thirty  years  before, 
strongly  recommending  me  to  their  friendship.  He  also 
in  his  capacity  of  superior  of  the  order  in  Ireland,  gave 
me  an  ubbedienza  (so  letters  of  admission  into  a  monas- 
tery are  called)  directed  to  the  general  of  the  whole  order 
at  Rome.  I  would  not  be  so  particular  in  the  relation  of 
the  foregoing  circumstances  had  I  not  thought,  that  they 
show  the  Jesuitical  pranks  of  priests,  and  the  unworthy 
use  they  make  of,  their  influence  over  the  minds  of  their 
deluded  followers. 


MONASTERIES   OF    ITALY,   ETC. 


CHAPTER  II. 

Departure  for  Rome — My  father's  last  words  at  parting — Reflections 
— Arrival  in  Paris — French  clergy— State  of  religion  in  France- 
Disrespect  shown  to  the  clergy  by  the  French — An  instance  of  it 
— Lyons — Conversation  with  an  innkeeper — His  description  of 
French  religion — French  Protestants — Church  of  Lyons — Arians 
— Conversion  of  fifteen  hundred  Papists — Their  return  to  Popery 
— For  what  reason — Present  revivals. 

The  day  fixed  for  my  departure  at  length  arrived,  and 
with  a  heart  torn  asunder  by  the  contending  emotions  of 
joy  and  sorrow — joy  for  the  sure  prospect  held  out  of 
arriving  at  the  goal  of  ray  wishes,  sorrow  for  leaving  my 
father  and  mother,  and  those  who  were  dearest  to  me — I 
embarked  in  my  native  city  for  Bristol — thence  to  proceed 
to  Southampton,  where  I  was  to  find  the  regular  packet 
for  Havre-de-Grace,  and  then  proceed  by  land  to  Rome. 
My  father's  last  words  to  me,  spoken  whilst  I  was  in 
the  act  of  going  aboard  the  steamer,  will  ever  remain  in- 
delibly fixed  in  my  memory.  They  were  these,  "  Re- 
turn a  priest,  or  never  let  me  see  you  againy  What 
words  from  the  kindest  and  best  of  fathers  !  Without 
considering  whether,  on  further  examination,  I  would 
feel  inclined  for  such  a  profession,  or  whether  I  would 
not  be  rendered  miserable  all  my  life,  if  I  acted  in  that 
respect  contrary  to  my  own  inclinations,  he  laid  his  posi- 
tive injunction  upon  me  "  to  return  a  priest"  under  pain 
of  perpetual  exile  from  him,  and  from  those  dearest  to 
me.  Yet  he  was  the  kindest  and  best  of  fathers  in  other 
respects ;  indeed  in  every  thing,  where  the  influence  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  religion  did  not  enter.  But  where 
that  was  in  any  way  concerned,  he  always  regulated  his 
actions  by  the  advice  of  the  priests,  and  especially  his 
confessor's ;  who,  to  be  sure,  with  the  true  spirit  of  their 
church,  gave  that  advice  which  they  thought  most  likely 
to  promote  its  well-being;  regardless  whether  this  advice 
would  not  sow  dissensions  in  families,  and  set  father 


8  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

against  son,  and  wife  against  husband. — But  such,  it  is 
well  known,  is  popish  morality. 

Upon  my  arrival  at  Havre,  I  immediately  took  a  place 
in  the  diligence  for  Paris,  which  capital,  if  I  well  re- 
member, I  reached  after  a  journey  of  two  days.  I  had 
letters  for  some  Irish  students  and  priests  in  the  Irish 
college  at  Paris,  and  my  first  care,  after  my  arrival,  was 
to  deliver  them.  The  greater  part  of  these  strongly 
advised  me  not  to  go  to  Rome,  telling  me  many  stories 
of  the  hardships,  which  I  probably  would  have  to  endure 
there  ;  and  of  the  very  many,  who  went  there  on  the 
same  purpose  as  myself,  but  who  returned  before  the 
expiration  of  a  year,  having  made  shipwreck  of  their 
faith  and  vocation.  To  all  this  I  turned  a  deaf  ear, 
being  determined,  whatever  would  be  the  consequence, 
to  continue  my  journey,  and  judge  for  myself  when 
arrived  at  Rome.  Perhaps  also  my  father's  parting 
admonition  helped  me  on  to  this  decision. 
.  The  disrespect  with  which  the  clergy  are  treated  in 
France,  and  especially  in  Paris,  very  much  surprised 
jme.  I  had  no  idea  that  the  men,  who  in  Ireland  are 
'esteemed  as  demi-gods,  could  in  France  be  exposed  to  the 
insults,  not  only  of  the  common  people,  but  also  of  the 
ihigher  ranks,  who  forget  that  politeness  natural  to  every 
iFrenchman,  when  a  priest  is  in  question.  I  remember, 
whilst  walking  one  day  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Pa- 
lais Royal  at  Paris,  to  have  seen  a  great  crowd  collected 
in  one  spot.  I  went  to  see  what  was  the  matter.  I  saw 
an  unfortunate  man,  whom  I  knew  to  be  a  priest  from 
his  dress,  stretched  in  the  street,  and  bleeding  profusely, 
a  carriage  having  thrown  him  down,  and  passed  over  one 
of  his  legs,  whilst  he  was  passing  from  one  side  of  the 
street  to  the  other.  The  crowd  collected  around  him, 
rich  and  poor  as  they  were,  stood  laughing  at  him,  and 
seemingly  rejoiced  at  his  misfortune.  He  was  unable  to 
walk,  -so  dreadfully  was  he  bruised  and  mangled.  Now, 
if  the  same  accident  had  happened  in  Ireland  to  one  of 
the  same  character,  there  is  not  a  Roman  Catholic,  or 
Protestant  either,  I  helieve,  in  the  country  that  would 
not  feel  honoured  in  bearing  on  his  own  shoulders  to  his 


-,*'.'??'■ 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  9 

house,  the  unfortunate  sufferer.  I  mention  this  anecdote, 
in  order  to  give  some  idea  of  the  hatred  and  detestation 
in  which  priests  are  held  in  France.  On  relating  the 
occurrence  to  my  friends  at  the  Irish  college,  they  only 
made  a  laugh  of  it,  saying,  "  that  I  was  but  yet  a  stranger 
in  France,  but  were  I  to  remain  long  in  the  country,  I 
would  soon  become  familiarized  to  such  scenes."  Indeed, 
they  told  me  seriously,  that  there  is  more  respect  in 
France  for  the  commonest  porter  that  parades  the  streets 
in  search  of  a  load,  than  for  a  priest,  however  learned 
and  pious.  To  one  lately  come  from  Ireland,  called  by 
the  French  priests,  when  comparing  their  own  state  with 
that  of  their  Irish  brethen,  "  le  paridis  des  pretres" — the 
priest's  paradise — such  stories  must  have  appeared  won- 
derfully strange ;  yet,  in  the  course  of  my  travels  through 
other  departnlents  of  France,  I  found  that  they  were  lite- 
rally true.  Whilst  at  Lyons,  where  I  remained  some 
days  before  crossing  the  Alps  into  Italy,  I  put  up  at  one 
of  the  hotels — the  "  hotel  des  Etats  Unis^'  I  believe  it 
was  called.  Entering  one  evening  into  conversation  with 
mine  host,  he  asked  me,  what  was  my  profession,  and 
for  what  object  I  was  going  to  Italy?  I  told  him  the 
plain  truth.  He  then  began  sacre-ing  all  the  priests  in 
the  world,  calling  them  a  parcel  of  knaves  and  impostors, 
and  told  me  plainly,  that  if  I  were  not  going  away  the 
following  day,  he  should  be  under  the  necessity  of  re- 
questing me  to  find  another  hotel,  for  he  would  not  have 
his  house  contaminated  by  the  presence  of  even  an  in- 
tended priest.  He  assured  me,  "  that  if  a  priest  dared 
enter  his  house,  he  would  throw  him  out  through  the 
window,  lest  the  respectability  of  his  hotel  should  be 
injured,  if  it  were  known  abroad,  that  it  had  sheltered  so 
detestable  an  animal  as  a  priest."  I  asked  him,  if  he 
were  a  Roman  Catholic  ?  "  I  am,"  he  replied,  "  because 
my  father  was  one,  but  I  never  go  to  mass,  nor  are  there 
one  hundred  people  in  the  town,  who  ever  go  to  it."  He 
added,  that  they  remain  Roman  Catholics,  because  their 
fathers  were  so  before  them,  but  that  they  never  follow 
any  of  the  foolish  doctrines  of  priests.  It  may  per- 
haps be  suspected,  that  this  man  was  a  solitary  instance. 


10  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

and  that  he  did  not  speak  the  truth,  wHen  he  told  me — 
perhaps  in  order  to  deter  me  from  becoming  a  priest — 
that  his  fellow  townsmen  were  like  himself.  But  farther 
inquiry  fully  convinced  me,  that  he  had  spoken  almost 
literally  the  truth,  and  I  appeal  to  any  traveller  from  this 
country,  who  may  have  taken  the  trouble  to  inquire  about 
the  state  of  religion  in  France,  for  the  truth  of  his  asser- 
tions and  of  his  representations.  So  great  is  the  disre- 
ispect  in  which  the  French  popish  clergy  are  held  by  their 
countrymen,  that  no  one  of  any  qualifications  by  which 
he  could  earn  a  subsistence  in  any  other  way,  would  be- 
come one.  The  lame,  the  crippled,  the  stammerer,  those 
who  have  not  the  spirit,  or  who  are  not  able,  to  earn  a 
subsistence  by  labour,  in  fine,  those  of  the  lowest  grades 
in  society,  compose  the  greater  number  of  the  modern 
French  clergy.  If  there  be  any  thing  like  Christianity 
in  France,  it  is  to  be  found  only  among  the  few  Protestants 
scattered  through  the  country,  and  not,  by  any  means, 
among  the  Roman  Catholic  population.  A  great  many 
of  the  latter  pass  through  life  without  any  sense  of  reli- 
gion, and  totally  ignorant  of  the  first  principles  of  Chris- 
tianity. The  Roman  Catholic  churches,  though  opened 
for  form-sake  every  day,  are  almost  empty,  there  being 
many  Frenchmen  who  never  saw  the  inside  of  a  church, 
even  through  curiosity,  during  a  long  life.  With  some 
classes,  infidelity  is  no  longer  the  fashion.  These  make 
a  show  of  religion,  because  they  are  unwilling  to  be 
thought  unbelievers ;  yet,  if  their  creed  be  examined, 
they  will  be  found  to  have  as  litde  belief  in  the  doctrines 
of  Christianity,  as  those  who  make  open  profession  of 
infidelity.  The  prevalent  opinion  among  all  classes  is, 
that  when  a  man  dies,  there  is  an  end  to  him.  They  be- 
lieve not  in  the  immortality  of  the  soul ;  yet  some,  to  keep 
up  the  appearance  of  religion,  are  not  unobservant  of 
popish  superstitions.  There  have  always  been  Protest- 
ants at  Lyons,  St.  Etienne,  and  Chalons  ;  but  their  inter- 
cburse  with  Roman  Catholics  has  plunged  them  into  the 
same  state  of  irreligion  as  the  latter,  so  that  they  retain 
nothing  of  Protestants  but  the  name.  They  are  nearly 
as  far  gone  in  infidelity  as  their  popish  fellow  country 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  11 

men,  and  have  the  same  disregard  for  the  religious  edu- 
cation of  their  children.  The  Protestants  of  Lyons  were 
wholly  Socinians  till  within  a  few  years  back.  The 
theological  colleges  in  which  the  pastors  are  educated, 
though  very  effective  as  far  as  learning  goes,  inculcate 
the  Arian  doctrines.  When  the  divinity  of  the  Saviour 
is  denied,  a  disregard  for  the  incalculable  importance  of 
his  mission  necessarily  follows.  An  indifference  about 
the  gospel  comes  next,  and  from  this  the  transition  to 
absolute  infidelity  is  very  easy.  Most  French  Protest- 
ants have  been  brought  up  in  early  life  v/ithout  any  wor- 
ship at  all,  and  thereby  becoming  almost  all  pure  ration- 
alists, they  countenance  the  church,  more  because  they 
cannot  do  without  the  rites  of  marriage,  baptism,  and 
sepulture,  than  for  any  more  cogent  reasons. 

In  the  year  1826,  on  the  occasion  of  the  law  of  sacri- 
lege being  promulgated  in  France,  fifteen  hundred 
Roman  Catholics  abandoned  popery,  and  attached  them- 
selves to  the  Pfiotestant  church  of  France — that  is,  to 
Arianism.  Th^greater  part  of  these  returned  to  popery 
before  the  expiration  of  a  year,  and  it  would  be  a  great 
wonder  if  they  had  not ;  for  surely  a  religion  so  flatter- 
ing to  human  nature  as  popery  is,  which  lulls  the  con- 
science to  sleep,  and  satisfies  the  religious  propensities 
without  taxing  it,  must  have  appeared  infinitely  prefer- 
able to  the  commonplace  morality  and  frigid  worship  of 
those  who  deny  the  fundamental  doctrine  of  Christianity 
— the  divinity  of  its  Founder ;  which,  if  it  be  not  a  sine 
qua  non,  an  essential  article  of  a  Christian's  belief, 
Christianity  itself  is  nothing  better  than  a  cunningly 
devised  fable,  put  together  to  answer  the  purposes  of 
desigiiing  men.  The  Protestant  religion  is  reviving  in 
France  very  much  within  these  two  years.  Evangelical 
churches  are  estabUshed  in  many  of  the  principal  cities, 
and  even  Lyons  itself,  as  much  the  hot-bed  of  Arianism 
as  Geneva,  has  now  to  glory  in  no  small  number  of  de- 
voted, pious  Christians.  These  with  their  minister  were 
expelled  from  the  only  house  of  Protestant  worship  that 
existed  at  Lyons  ;  but  they  met  afterwards  in  private 
houses,  and  continued  to  do  so,  till  their  numbers  in- 


12  '  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

creased,  and  they  had  been  able  to  raise  sufficient  funds 
to  build  a  church  for  themselves.  They  have  now  one 
large  enough  to  contain  the  primitive  flock,  and  also 
those  who,  attracted  by  the  force  of  gospel  truth,  are  daily 
uniting  themselves  to  them,  and  deserting  from  the  ranks 
of  popery,  Arianism,  and  infidelity. 


CHAPTER  III. 

Arrival  at  Rome — Cardinal  Micara,  General  of  the  Capuchins — How 
received  by  him — The  Lay-brother  cicerone — In  what  department 
of  curiosities  he  excelled — Removal  to  Frascati — Description  of 
Frascati  and  its  environs — Reception — The  English  not  Chris- 
tians— How  explained — Italian  civility  to  strangers — Taking  the 
habit — Ceremonies  used  on  that  occasion. 

It  is  foreign  to  the  design  of  the  present  work  to  give 
an  account  of  my  journey,  and  a  description  of  the  differ- 
ent countries  through  which  I  passed  on  the  route  from 
Paris  to  Rome.  Be  it  sufficient,  then,  to  state,  that  I 
arrived  in  the  latter  city  in  about  three  months  after  my 
departure  from  Ireland.  The  journey  is  generally  made 
in  twenty  days  by  those  who  are  travelling  on  urgent 
business,  but  mine  not  being  of  that  stamp,  I  stopped  for 
some  days  in  the  different  towns  on  the  road.  1  rested 
five  or  six  days  at  Turin,  the  first  Italian  town  met  with 
after  descending  from  the  Alps — and  the  capital  of  Pied- 
mont. The  road  afterwards  lay  through  Alexan-^ria, 
Genoa,  Leghorn,  Florence,  &;c.,  in  each  of  which  towns 
I  remained  some  few  days.  Upon  my  arrival  at  Rome, 
I  presented  my  letters  and  other  credentials  to  the  general 
of  the  Capuchins,  who  was  just  created  a  cardinal  a  few 
weeks  before  my  arrival,  by  Leo  XII.,  the  then  reigning 
pontiff.  I  believe  he  is  still  living,  or,  at  least,  was 
about  six  months  ago.  His  name  is  Cardinal  Micara,  a 
native  of  Frascati,  and  esteemed  the  most  learned  theolo- 
gian of  Rome.  He  is  easily  distinguished  from  the  other 
cardinals,  on  account  of  his  wearing  a  long,  shaggy  beard. 


MONASTERIES  OF   ITALY,  ETC  13 

and  mustaches,  of  which  he  seems  to  be  very  proud.  I 
was  received  by  him  with  very  great  kindness.  He 
ordered  a  room  to  be  immediately  prepared  for  me  in  the 
convent,  in  which  I  was  to  reside  during  my  stay  at 
Rome  ;  giving  me,  at  the  same  time,  to  understand  that 
it  was  necessary  for  me  to  proceed  to  Frascati — the 
ancient  Tusculum — to  serve  my  novitiate.  He,  how- 
ever, allowed  me  the  space  of  three  weeks  to  see  Rome 
and  its  curiosities  before  my  departure  ;  giving  orders  to 
one  of  the  lay-brothers  to  accompany  me  to  the  differ- 
ent places  I  wished  to  see.  My  lay-brother,  however, 
proved  a  bad  ciceroyie  ;  for,  although  a  Roman  by  birth, 
he  knew  as  much  about  the  real  curiosities  of  ancient  or 
modern  Rome  as  a  native  of  Otaheite.  I  had  a  great  desire 
to  see  some  of  those  places,  which  were  rendered  fami- 
liar to  me  by  reading  the  Roman  classics,  but  of  these, 
alas  !  my  cicerone  knew  as  much  as  the  maa  in  the  moon. 
He  made  ample  amends,  however,  for  his  ignorance  of 
those  things  by  an  extensive  knowledge  of  all  the  miracu- 
lous images  oi  the  Madonna,  of  the  different  crucifixes,  of 
the  relics  of  the  saints,  of  the  churches,  where  so  many 
days'  indulgences  may  be  obtained,  and  the  redemption  of 
so  many  souls  from  purgatory,  and  all  for  the  trouble  of 
reciting  a  "  pater  noster."— But  of  these  things,  more  in 
the  sequel.  After  having  seen  a  few  churches,  and  some 
miracle  working  relics,  I  grew  tired  ;  and  having  pur- 
chased "  The  Stranger's  Guide  through  Rome,"  I  sallied 
forth  alone,  and  by  the  help  of  it,  satisfied  in  some  degree 
my  curiosity. 

The  time  allowed  me  for  the  gratification  of  my  curio- 
sity being  now  expired,  I  was  summoned  one  morning 
very  early  to  the  presence  of  his  eminence  the  cardinal. 
He  received  me  with  his  usual  kindness,  and  laughed 
very  heartily  when  I  related  to  him  in  French,  which  he 
spoke  very  fluently,  the  ciceronic  lay-brother's  want  of 
knowledge  in  Roman  antiquities.  He  told  me,  that  I 
would  have  time  enough  to  examine  Rome,  both  ancient 
and  modern,  after  my  year's  novitiate  was  ended,  and 
that,  until  then,  I  should  go  to  Frascati,  and  put  on  the 
seraphic  habit— so  the  Franciscan  habit  is  called.  He 
3 


14  SIX   YEARS  IN   THE 

earnestly  advised  me  to  apply  myself  to  ihe  study  of 
Italian,  and  gave  me  an  Italian  grammar,  and  an  Anglo- 
Italian  dictionary,  for  that  purpose.  Holding  out  his 
hand  to  be  kissed,  and  giving  me  his  benediction,  he  then 
dismissed  me,  telling  me  to  hold  myself  in  readiness  for 
my  departure  at  four  o'clock  that  same  evening.  The 
distance  from  Rome  to  Frascati  being  only  twelve  miles, 
I  soon  arrived  there  ;  having  already  made  up  my  mind 
to  persevere  in  the  primary  intention,  for  which  I  had 
left  my  own  country,  whatever  might  be  the  conse- 
quence, or  whatever  the  difficulties  I  should  have  to 
contend  with.  As  Frascati  and  its  neighbourhood  was 
the  scene  of  many  of  the  occurrences  which  will  be 
hereafter  related,  it  may  not  be  thought  irrelative  to  give 
a  hasty  description  of  them. 

Frascati  is  situated  in  the  Campagna  di  Roma,  about 
twelve  miles  distant  from  "Me  holy  city.''''  It  is  built 
nearly  on  the  site  of  the  ancient  Tusculum,  so  well 
known  as  the  place  in  which  Cicero  wrote  his  "  Ques- 
tiones  Tusculanae."  The  ruins  of  Tusculum,  which  are 
still  extant,  are  about  two  miles  from  the  modern  city  ; 
yet  it  is  supposed  that  the  former,  in  the  time  of  its  an- 
cient splendour,  extended  as  far  as  the  plain,  "in  which 
the  latter  is  now  built.  It  commands  a  fine  view  of  the 
surrounding  country,  especially  from  the  Capuchin  con- 
vent— the  one  in  which  I  resided.  There  are  in  its  im- 
mediate neighbourhood  several  splendid  villas  belonging 
to  the  Roman  nobility,  the  principal  of  which  are  il  pa- 
lazzo  Borghese,  belonging  to  the  prince  of  that  name, 
who  seldom  or  never  lives  in  it ;  il  palazzo  Falconieri, 
■which  is  let  out  as  a  summer  residence  to  English 
travellers,  or  to  any  other  foreigners  that  are  willing  to 
pay  for  it ;  and  the  Jiofanello,  the  late  residence  of  Lu- 
cien  Buonaparte  for  a  number  of  years.  At  the  distance 
of  eight  miles  towards  the  Apennines  is  placed  Tivoli, 
•which,  whatever  may  have  been  its  grandeur  in  the  time 
of  Roman  greatness,  is  now  but  an  insignificant  village. 
On  the  same  direction,  but  nearer  to  Frascati,  is  the 
town  called  after  the  family  of  the  Porzia,  "  Monte 
Porzio,"  so  abominably  filthy,  that  the  inhabitants  them- 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  15 

selves,  punning  on  the  name,  call  it  "  monte  dei  porci" 
— pig  mountain.  On  the  other  side  of  Frascati,  and 
toward  the  sea,  are  Rocca  di  Papa,  Rocca  Priore,  Monte 
Competri — all  insignificant  villages,  and  distinguished 
for  nothing  but  dirt  and  monasteries— one  of  which,  very 
celebrated,  is  built  on  the  top  of  a  high  mountain  over- 
hanging the  village  of  Rocca  di  Papa.  It  belongs  to  the 
frati  della  pdssione,  or  passion  monks,  so  called  from 
their  wearing  on  their  habits  a  picture  representing  the 
passion  of  Christ.  Would  it  not  be  better,  and  more 
scriptural,  for  them  to  have  Christ's  passion  imprinted 
on  their  hearts  ? — But  they  think  otherwise. 

Having  presented  the  general's  letter  to  the  local 
superior  of  Frascati,  I  was  admitted  into  the  convent 
under  the  character  of  a  postulante — a  name  given  to 
those  who,  not  being  yet  dressed  in  the  habit,  wish  to 
be  sure  whether  their  vocation  would  continue  after  hav- 
ing observ.ed  more  closely  the  manners  and  customs  of 
the  monks.  I  saw  nothing  during  the  time — about  two 
months — I  remained  in  this  way,  which  could  cause  me 
to  repent  of  my  undertaking,  or  deter  me  from  embracing 
the  order.  On  the  contrary,  every  thing  seemed  carried  on 
according  to  the  strictest  rules  of  propriety.  I  was  treated 
by  the  superior  and  the  other  monks  with  very  great  kind- 
'  ness  and  attention,  approaching  almost  to  affection ;  the 
former  frequently  taking  me  as  his  umbra,  or  shade,  to 
dine  at  some  gentleman's  house,  of  which  he  was  the 
spiritual  director ;  whilst  the  latter  almost  daily  accom- 
panied me  through  the  villas  and  palaces  of  the  neigh- 
bourhood, to  all  of  which  they  had  a  free  and  easy  access, 
by  reason  of  their  monastic  profession  and  the  respect 
paid  to  it.  In  this  way,  two  months  passed  over  very 
agreeably,  and,  at  the  end  of  that  time,  my  desire  of 
joining  the  order  was  more  ardent  than  before. 

The  Italians  in  general  are  very  obliging  to  strangers, 
especially  to  those  strangers  from  whom  they  expect 
some  advantage.  The  Italian  monks  are  particularly  so 
to  those  coming  to  unite  themselves  to  their  order,  espe- 
cially if  they  be  foreigners  ;  for  it  is  thought,  that  it  adds 
to  the  respectability  of  the  order,  and  gives  it  distinction 


16  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

in  the  eyes  of  the  public,  to  have  a  great  number  of 
foreigners  attached  to  it.  The  hope,  also,  of  establishing 
convents,  and  propagating  the  Roman  Catholic  religion 
through  their  means  in  foreign  parts,  may  be  another 
motive  for  treating  foreigners  with  more  than  usual  kind- 
ness. It  was  a  long  time  since  the  order  counted  any 
students  from  that  heretical  country,  England,  (as  they 
generally  call  it,)  among  its  numbers,  and  therefore  it  fell 
to  my  lot  to  be  looked  upon  with  more  than  usual  interest. 
The  superior  once  inquired  of  me,  if  my  father  and 
mother  were  Christians  ? — a  question  which  somewhat 
startled  me,  but  which  he  afterward  modified,  by  asking, 
if  they  were  Roman  Catholics  ?  I  was  not  then  aware 
that  no  Protestants,  and  more  especially,  no  English 
i  Protestants,  whom  they  honour  so  far  as  to  call  the 
"worst  of  heretics,"  were  esteemed  by  them  Christians. 
I  answered  in  the  affirmative.  He  then  inquired  closely 
into  the  state  of  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  in  Eng- 
land and  Ireland,  and  of  the  number  of  monasteries  in 
those  countries  ;  wondering  very  much  that  so  very  few 
young  men  came  from  Ireland  now-a-days  to  join  his 
order;  whereas,  when  he  was  a  young  man,  and  in  the 
beginning  of  his  ecclesiastical  career — he  was  at  this 
time  about  fifty-five — there  were  a  great  many  young 
Irishmen  his  fellow  students  at  Rome.  He  lamented, 
with  appearance  of  great  grief,  the  falling  off  of  that  once 
holy  kingdom — the  insula  sanctorum — from  the  true 
faith,  through  the  apostasy  (as  he  termed  it)  of  Henry 
YIIL,  and  of  Anna  Boleyn.  He  then,  turning  to  the 
other  monks,  who  stood  listening  with  open  mouths, 
related  the  old  threadbare  story  of  the  conversion  of 
England  by  Austin,  the  monk,  who  was  sent  thither  by 
the  then  holy  father  (the  pope)  Gregory ;  not  forgetting 
the  equally  old  story  of  Venerable  Bede's,  about  "  non 
Angli,  sed  angeli,  si  tantum  Christiani  fids  sent" — "  not 
English,  but  angels,  if  they  were  but  Christians" — which 
must  be  familiar  to  every  reader. 

The  time  for  my  taking  the  habit  now  drew  nigh,  and, 
it  being  rumoured  through  the  town,  that  an  Englishman 
was  about  to  become  a  novice  in  the  Capuchin  order,  the 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC  It 

church  was  crowded  to  excess  on  the  day  appointed. 
The  evening  before,  I  made  a  general  confession  of  the 
sins  of  my  whole  life  to  the  superior,  and  was  directed  to 
look  to  the  Madonna  and  entreat  her  intercession,  in 
order  to  have  the  absolution,  pronounced  by  him,  the 
unworthy  minister  of  God,  (his  own  words,)  here  on 
earth,  ratified  in  heaven.  The  ceremonies  usually  prac- 
tised on  giving  the  habit  to  a  novice,  having  in  them 
something  that  may  appear  strange  to  the  generality  of 
readers  in  this  country,  it  will  not  be  thouglit  foreign  to 
the  subject  to  describe  them. 

The  superior,  having  put  on  the  vestments  used  for 
celebrating  mass,  comes  to  the  altar,  attended  by  a  deacon, 
subdeacon,  and  acolothists,  and  addresses  the  congrega- 
tion, stating  the  occasion  of  the  ceremony,  and  perhaps 
also  giving  (as  he  did  in  my  case)  a  brief  history  of  the 
postulant.  He  then  endeavours  to  draw  a  moral  from 
the  history,  and  to  hold  up  the  subject  of  it,  as  one  worthy 
of  imitation.  After  this  he  begins  the  mass,  and  proceeds 
with  it  as  far  as  the  gospel,  \vhen  the  postulant  is  brought 
forward  by  the  deacon,  dressed  in  as  gaudy  attire  as  can 
be  procured  for  the  occasion.  The  postulant  prostrates 
himself  at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  and  at  the  feet  of  the 
superior,  who  bids  him,  in  Latin,  to  arise  and  proclaim 
aloud  what  he  wanted  from  the  church  of  God.  The 
questions  and  answers,  used  on  this  occasion,  and  of 
■which  the  novice  is  warned  beforehand,  are  here  subjoined 
in  the  original  Latin,  with  a  literal  translation  for  the 
satisfaction  of  those  who  do  not  understand  that  lan- 
guage : — 

Ques.  Quid  petis  ab  ecclesia  Dei  ? 

Res.  Habitum  Sancti  Francisci. 

Ques.  Quare  habitum  Sancti  Francisci  petis  ? 

Res.  Ut  animam  salvem. 

Ques.  Quis  te  excitavit  mundum  fugere,  et  teipsum 
Deo  sub  regula  Sancti  Francisci  vovere  ? 

Res.  Nullus  ab  externo  :  sed  tantam  sponte,  Spiritu 
Sancto  cooperante,  hujus  mundi  pericula  vidi,  et  ut  ea 
facilius  fugerem,  sub  regula  Sancti  Francisci  militare 
volo. 

3* 


18  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

Translation  of  the  foregoing. 

Ques.  What  do  you  seek  from  the  church  of  God  ? 

Ans.  The  habit  of  St.  Francis  ! 

Ques.  Why  do  you  seek  the  habit  of  St.  Francis  ? 

»ins.  In  order  to  save  my  soul. 

Ques.  What  has  excited  you  to  flee  from  the  world, 
and  to  dedicate  yourself  to  God  under  the  rule  of  St. 
Francis  ? 

Ans.  Nothing  outwardly  :  but  of  my  own  accord,  and 
through  the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  I  have  seen 
the  dangers  of  the  world,  and  in  order  to  more  easily 
escape  them,  I  wish  to  be  a  soldier  under  the  rule  of  St. 
Francis. 

The  postulant  is  then  stripped  of  his  finery  by  the 
deacon  and  attendants,  whilst  the  habit  with  which  he  is 
about  to  be  clad,  is  placed  before  the  superior  on  a  silver 
salver,  in  order  to  be  blessed  by  him  and  sprinkled  with 
holy  water.  The  blessing  of  the  habit,  which  takes  up 
five  or  six  minutes,  being  finished,  it  is  then  handed 
over  to  the  deacon,  who  puts  it  over  the  head  and 
shoulders  of  the  postulant,  who  kneels  down  to  receive 
it,  in  token  of  greater  devotion  ;  the  superior  in  the 
mean  time  repeating  the  following :  Sancti  Francisci 
habitus  ab  omni  diaboli  impetu  te  custodial !  May  the 
habit  of  St.  Francis  guard  you  from  all  attacks  of  the 
d'evil !  Then  a  cord,  of  about  half  an  inch  in  diameter, 
is  produced,  which,  after  having  gone  through  the  form 
of  being  blessed,  is  tied  around  the  sides  of  the  novice  ; 
the  superior  repeating  these  words :  Sancti  Francisci 
cingula  te  ab  omni  libidine  custodial,  et  te  facial  castum 
anima  et  corpore.  May  the  girdle  or  cord  of  St.  Fran- 
cis guard  you  from  lust,  and  render  you  chaste  in  soul 
and  body.  To  all  which  prayers  the  attendants  answer — 
Amen.  The  mass  is  then  continued,  till  after  the  com- 
munion, when  the  novice  is  again  brought  forward  by  the 
deacon  to  receive  the  sacrament,  which  he  does  from  the 
hands,  or  rather  the  fingers  of  the  superior,  who  says, 
whilst  in  the  act  of  putting  the  wafer  into  his  mouth : 
Corpus  Domini  nostri,  Jesu  Christi,  custodial  animain 
tuam  in  vitam  eternam.     Jlmen.     May  the  body  of  our 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALT,   ETC.  19 

Lord  Jesus  Christ  keep  your  soul  for  eternal  life.  Amen. 
The  mass  is,  after  this,  finished,  and  the  choir  chant  the 
psalm  "-Ecce  quam  bonimi,  et  quam  jucundum  habitare, 
fratres,  in  unum'" — Behold  !  what  a  pleasing,  and  vir- 
tuous thing  it  is,  brothers,  to  live  together ;  whilst  the 
newly  vested  novice  is  receiving  the  kiss  of  peace  from 
his  future  brethren,  who  say,  whilst  kissing  him  ''Pax 
tibi,  f rater  charissime" — Peace  be  with  you,  dearest 
brother.  The  day  of  giving  the  habit  to  a  novice  is 
observed  by  the  monks  as  a  day  of  feasting  and  rejoicing. 
A  sumptuous  dinner  is  prepared  for  the  occasion,  and  the 
friends  and  benefactors  of  the  convent  are  invited  to  par- 
take of  it.  The  monks  exercise  their  talents  for  poetry 
by  composing  some  pieces  to  be  recited  in  the  refectory 
during  dinner,  in  praise  of  a  monastic  life,  or  in  praise  of 
the  novice.  Thus  the  day  passes  over  amidst  mirth  and 
feasting,  whilst  the  new-made  monk  retires  to  his  room, 
fully  content  with  his  condition,  and  enthusiastic  in  his 
admiration  of  the  manner  of  life  he  had  that  day  chosen. 
Happy  for  him,  if  he  continue  so,  or  if  he  repent  not 
before  the  expiration  of  a  few  months  ! 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Rule  of  St.  Francis — Reasons  for  being  unable  to  obtain  a  sight  of  it 
before  receiving  the  habit  —  Tradition  attached  to  it — Francis' 
conversation  with  the  miraculous  crucifix — Pope  Honorius — Ca- 
nonically  elected  popes — Infallibility — Lents — Wonderful  change 
of  flesh — meat  into  fish. 

Being  now  clad  in  the  livery  of  St.  Francis,  a  book| 
containing  the  rules  and  constitutions  of  the  order  was! 
placed  at  my  disposal.  Such  a  book  I  often  before 
wished  to  see,  and  even  begged  a  loan  of  it,  more  than| 
once,  from  the  superior  ;  but  my  request,  though  not  flatly| 
refused,  was  always  evaded.  They  never  show — such! 
is  their  policy— the  rules  of  the  order  to  the  uninitiated,! 
or  to  those  not  clad  in  their  habit,  fearing,  I  suppose,  that! 


20  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

jthey  might  be  injured  in  the  public  estimation,  if  the 
!  public  became  aware  of  the  little  harmony  there  is  exist- 
ing between  what  they  are,  and  what  they  ought  to  be, 
if  they  practised  the  rules  laid  down  by  their  founder 
Francis.  Be  this  as  it  may,  I  never  could  get  a  sight  of 
ithe  book  containing  these  rules,  until  a  few  days  after 
'l  had  taken  the'habit,  and  when  the  monks  well  knew, 
in  the  event  of  my  not  liking  them,  that  I  had  gone 
too  far  to  retract  with  honour  ;  though,  indeed,  I  was 
•  still  at  liberty,  and  would  be  so  for  one  year  yet  to  come, 
until  the  day  of  my  solemn  profession,  to  retire  from  the 
•order. 

There  is  a  tradition  attached  to  this  book  of  rules, 
which  will  occasion  a  smile  on  the  countenance  of  the 
reader.  This  is  it :  St.  Francis,  whilst  fleeing  from  his 
father,  who  was  very  unwilling  that  his  son  should 
become  a  saint,  retired  for  concealment  to  a  mountain  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  Assisi,  his  native  town.  There  he 
engaged  in  prayer  and  fasting  for  the  space  oi forty  days, 
say  some,  four  only,  say  others — but  it  is  all  the  same, 
there  being  as  much  truth  in  one  as  in  the  other.  At  the 
end  of  the  forty,  or  four  days,  the  crucifix  before  which 
he  knelt,  disengaging  one  of  its  hands  from  the  wood  to 
which  it  was  nailed,  suddenly  became  animated,  and 
began  to  harangue  Francis,  and  commanded  him  to  insti- 
tute an  order,  for  which  a  rule  had  been  written  in 
heaven.  An  angel  then  appeared,  and,  depositing  a 
book  in  the  hands  of  the  crucifix,  again  vanished.  The 
crucifix  then  stretched  out  and  delivered  the  book  to 
Francis,  and  immediately  returned  to  its  former  position 
■—an  inanimate  piece  of  wood.  The  foregoing  story, 
carrying,  as  it  does  in  itself,  its  own  contradiction,  is, 
nevertheless,  often  made  the  subject  of  a  sermon  in  the 
Franciscan  pulpits  ;  and  so  eagerly  is  the  marvellous 
swallowed  by  a  superstitious,  uneducated  peasantry,  it 
has  been  the  cause  of  bringing  a  great  deal  of  wealth  to 
the  order,  and  of  extolling  it  in  the  eyes  of  the  public.  It 
is  frequently  related  in  the  confessional  (where  I  for  the 
first  time  heard  it)  by  the  monks  to  their  penitents,  and  H^ 
is  often  believed  by  the  narrators  themselves,  in  the  same 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  21 

way  as  habitual  liars  sometimes  believe  their  own  false- 
hoods. To  such  pious  frauds  as  this  do  men  resort  in  order 
to  aggrandize  themselves  and  their  order ;  men,  too,  who 
are  under  a  solemn  vow  to  despise  the  world,  and  even 
its  most  harmless  pleasures,  and  to  give  themselves  up 
entirely  to  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  others  and  of  their 
own. 

The  rule  of  which  we  are  speaking  was  originally 
written  in  Italian,  and  then,  after  some  years,  turned  into 
monkish  Latin,  so  barbarous,  that  it  evidently  shows, 
whatever  be  Francis'  claims  for  the  title  of  a  saint,  he 
had  very  little — indeed,  none  at  all — for  that  of  a  scholar. 
It  is  indeed  a  curious  specimen  of  composition,  whether 
regarded  in  a  literary  or  in  a  moral  light.  I  am  sorry  that 
I  have  not  a  copy  of  it  by  me  to  make  some  extracts  from, 
having  unfortunately  lost  the  one  I  had.  The  extracts, 
which  I  am  about  to  give,  will  be  understood,  therefore, 
as  drawn  entirely  from  memory.  It  begins  with  the  bull 
of  Honorius  III.,  the  then  reigning  pope,  confirming  the 
order  ^  the  Friars  Minor,  the  name  which  through 
humility  the  Franciscans  first  assumed.  Nor  did  this 
show  of  humility  want  its  due  portion  of  poUcy.  Francis 
and  his  companions  were  well  aware,  that  the  success  of 
the  order  would  be  much  injured,  if  they  excited  in  the 
beginning  the  jealousy  of  the  Benedictines,  Augustinians, 
Carmelites,  &c.,  all  long  established  and  powerful  orders. 
To  give  no  open  cause  then  for  their  jealousy,  they  very 
prudently  accomplished,  by  a  show  of  humility,  what 
they  were  well  aware  never  could  be  brought  about  by 
open  defiance.  They  therefore  called  themselves  Minor- 
friars,  or  Friar-minors.  Little  did  the  other  orders  then 
imagine,  that  the  poor,  sheepish-looking  Francis  had 
more  real  cunning  than  his  outward  department  would 
warrant,  and  that  he  was  about  to  institute  an  order, 
which,  like  bad  weeds  in  a  garden,  would  soon  spread 
itself  through  all  Europe.  Little  did  they  imagine,  that 
his  followers  would  soon  dispossess  them  of  their  pulpits, 
and  of  their  chairs  of  theology,  and  transfer  in  the  end  to 
4fcemselves  that  veneration  in  which  they  were  held  by 
the  people.     But  who  can  dive  into  futurity  ?     Not  even 


22  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

monks,  however  thaumaturgi,  or  miracle  workers  they 
may  be  ! 

We  have  seen,  that  the  rule  begins  with  the  confirma- 
tion of  the  order  by  the  then  reigning  pope,  Honoriu-s 
III.  How  that  pope  was  brought  to  sanction  the  ravings 
of  a  man,  who,  by  any  person  of  sense,  would  be  thought 
a  madman,  has  connected  with  it  another  ridiculous  story, 
which  I  shall  take  the  liberty  to  mention  here.  It  shows 
the  pitiable  stratagems,  to  which  Francis  and  the  pope 
too,  as  if  an  abettor,  had  recourse ;  each,  to  consolidate 
his  own  authority — the  one,  the  authority  over  his  par- 
ticular followers,  as  their  founder — the  other,  the  author- 
ity, or  at  least,  an  argument  in  favour  of  that  authority 
over  the  whole  Christian  world,  as  vicar  of  Christ.  It 
seems,  that  in  a  second  interview  which  Francis  had 
with  the  animated  crucifix,  he  was  ordered  to  set  out  im- 
mediately for  Rome,  "  and" — (Christ  is  blasphemously 
made  the  speaker,)  "  throwing  thyself  at  the  feet  of  my 
vicar,  whom  I  have  already  prepared  for  thy  coming, 
demand  a  confirmation  of  the  rule  which  I  have  given 
thee."  So  saying,  the  crucifix  remained  silent.  Francis, 
without  the  least  hesitation,  immediately  set  out  for  Rome, 
where  arrived,  he  presented  himself  before  the  pontiff, 
who  instantly  embraced  him,  to  the  great  surprise  of  the 
cardinals  and  his  other  attendants.  The  pope  then  re- 
lated the  vision  which  he  had  seen  the  preceding  night. 
"  As  I  lay  on  my  knees,"  said  he,  "  after  midnight, 
deeply  engaged  in  prayer  before  the  image  of  my  Saviour, 
and  supplicating  him  to  inspire  me  with  sufficient  strength 
and  prudence  for  the  government  of  His  holy  church ; 
behold,  I  saw  in  a  vision,  though  broad  awake,  the 
church  of  St.  John  Lateran  tottering,  and  this  man — 
(pointing  towards  Francis  on  his  knees) — dressed  in  the 
same  habit  in  which  he  appears  before  us  now,  support- 
ing it  with  all  his  might,  whilst  in  characters  of  fire  were 
written  over  his  head  the  words,  '  Vade,  repara  domum 
meam'' — '  Go,  and  repair  my  house.'  Francis  then  re- 
lated his  conversation  with  the  crucifix,  and  the  command 
which  he  had  received  to  proceed  to  Rome,  and  get  his 
rule,  which  was  written  in  heaven,  confirmed  on  earth 


MONASTERIES   OP    ITALY,   ETC.  23 

by  the  vicar  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  confirmation,  as  may- 
well  be  supposed,  met  with  no  obstacle,  and  thus  was  a 
beginning  given  to  the  Franciscan  order.  The  foregoing 
stories,  ridiculous  as  they  certainly  are,  and  many  others 
still  more  ridiculous  and  equally  marvellous,  are  to  be 
found  in  the  life  of  St.  Francis,  written  by  one  of  his  fol- 
lowers. Let  the  reader  then  give  them  that  degree  of 
credence  which  he  may  deem  them  worthy  of.  The 
subject  of  the  latter  one  is  made  the  escutcheon  engraved 
on  the  vicar-general's  seal,  of  which  I  have  an  impression 
in  my  possession — St.  Francis,  holding  his  shoulder 
against  the  falling  church  of  St.  John  Lateran,  and  the 
words  "vade,  repara  domum  meam"  written  over  his 
head. 

The  rule  then  continues  to  lay  down  certain  regulations 
to  be  observed  under  pain  of  mortal  sin  by  all  those  pro- 
fessed in  the  order.  The  principal  one,  and  that  upon 
which  all  the  rest  are  based,  is  a  blind,  servile  obedience 
to  the  reigning  pope  and  his  successors  canonically 
elected.  Now,  the  clause  "  canonically  elected"  is  rather 
vague  in  its  signification,  and  probably  Francis,  simple 
as  he  may  appear  to  his  co-visionary.  Pope  Honorius, 
suspected  that  popes  were  not  always  elected  according 
to  the  canons.  He  therefore  very  honestly  gives  his 
followers  the  liberty  of  choosing  between  contending 
popes,  or  of  remaining  neutral,  not  acknowledging  any 
pope  at  all,  till  they  see  to  whom  fortune  or  superior 
interest,  disguised  under  the  name  of  the  '■'•Holy  Ghost,'''' 
would  finally  give  the  popedom.  The  scandalous  con- 
tentions for  the  popedom — a  manifest  sign,  that  the  Holy 
Spirit,  though  formally  invoked,  has  very  little  influence 
in  the  election — are  so  well'  known  to  every  reader,  that 
it  is  needless  to  make  particular  mention  of  them  here. 
The  contentions  for  that  dignity,  when  the  holy  see  wasi 
transferred  to  Avignon,  and  wlfen  there  existed  at  onei 
and  the  same  time  three  popes,  excommunicating  and' 
damning  one  another,  may  serve  as  an  example  of  thej 
infallibility  of  the  infallible  men  who  are  elected  to  it. 
Three  infallibles  at  one  and  the  same  time,  and  each 
condemning  the  infallible  bulls  and  edicts  promulgated 


34  ■  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

by  his  infallible  opponents  !  Strange  indeed,  but  such 
is  popery. 

In  another  chapter,  it  lays  down  the  number  of  lents 
to  be  observed  in  the  year,  and  the  manner  in  which 
these  lents  ought  to  be  observed.  The  lents  are  three  : 
one  of  seven  weeks,  observed,  or  at  least  commanded  to 
be  observed,  by  the  whole  Romish  church  ;  though  such 
a  command,  I  am  glad  to  see,  is  meeting  with  deserved 
neglect  in  most  parts  of  Europe,  except  Ireland,  and 
there  also,  among  the  educated  classes  of  Roman  Catho- 
lics— so  true  it  is,  that  education  is  the  bane  of  popery, 
and  where  the  former  prevails,  the  latter  is  put  to  flight, 
for  it  is  as  easy  to  unite  fire  and  water  as  information  and 
popery. 

The  second  of  two  months,  from  All  Saints'  day  (1st 
of  November)  to  Christmas,  called  by  the  monks,  "  la 
quaresima  di  merito,"  or  the  meritorious  lent.  The  third 
of  forty  days,  which  begins  some  days  after  the  Epiphany. 
This  last  is  called  "  la  quaresima  benedetia,'^  or  the 
blessed  lent,  because  Francis  did  not  command  it  to  be 
observed  under  pain  of  mortal  sin,  but  yet  left  his  blessing 
to  those  who  observe  it.  Thus  is  fasting,  though  neither 
good  nor  bad  in  itself,  rendered  by  this  madman  execra- 
ble, as  being  made  the  means  of  acquiring  merit,  and 
thereby  salvation,  whilst  the  blessed  doctrine  of  obtain- 
ing it  through  the  vicarious  atonement  and  merits  of 
Christ,  is  not  once  thought  upon.  The  rigour  with 
which  lent  should  be  observed,  is  perhaps  intended  to  be 
pointed  out  by  the  following  story,  related  in  the  life  of 
St.  Francis : 

One  day  in  lent,  Francis  and  his  companion  were 
travelling — on  foot  to  be  sure — in  the  province  of  Umbria, 
for  the  purpose  of  founding  convents.  They  were  fasting 
all  that  day,  nor  would  they  partake  of  any  food,  lest  they 
should  break  through  the  holy  fast,  though  frequently 
invited  to  do  so  by  those  upon  whom  they  called  in  the 
Vfzy  of  business.  Evening  drawing  nigh,  they  were 
obliged  to  take  up  their  lodgings  at  the  house  of  a  vicious 
nobleman,  who,  however  he  may  conceal  it,  was  a  secret 
enemy  of  Francis  and  his  institute.    At  supper,  there 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALV,   ETC.  25 

was  nothing  placed  upon  the  tabic  before  the  holy  man 
and  his  companion  but  flesh-meat.  The  companion  looked 
towards  his  master  to  see  how  he  should  act,  and  his  hair 
stood  on  end  with  astonishment,  when  he  positively  saw 
him  eating  what  was  set  before  him.  Knowing,  how- 
ever, that  the  saint  never  acted  without  good  reasons,  he 
said  nothing,  but  silently  imitated  the  example  given  him. 
His  host,  who  stood  on  the  watch  with  some  of  his  vicious 
companions,  immediately  burst  out  into  laughter,  and 
called  in  his  neighbours  to  expose  the  hypocrite,  as  he 
called  the  holy  man.  Francis,  not  in  the  least  disturbed, 
made  the  sign  of  the  cross  on  the  table,  and  in  the  twin- 
kling of  an  eye,  the  meat — capons,  turkeys,  and  all — was 
turned  into  herrings ;  and  even  the  bones  of  what  he 
had  already  eaten  became  bones  of  fish  !  This  was  a 
miracle  indeed !  But  some  monks  have  nothing  else  to 
do  than  inventing  such  trash.  The  story  is  made,  how- 
ever, to  serve  its  own  purposes.  It  impresses  the  ne- 
cessity of  abstaining  from  certain  meats  during  a  certain 
time  in  order  to  obtain  favour  with  God,  and  strengthens 
that  necessity  by  bringing  Francis,  whom  all  acknow- 
ledge a  saint,  forward  as  an  example.  This  is  nothing 
else  but  preaching  the  an ti -scriptural  doctrine  of  the  dis- 
tinction of  meats,  so  fondly  adhered  to  by  the  church  of 
Rome,  and  the  bringing  of  Francis  on  the  stage,  is  but 
showing  an  example  of  obedience  to  that  doctrine.  Again, 
the  miracle  of  changing  flesh-meat  into  herrings,  is  but 
proving,  by  a  miracle,  how  acceptable  such  a  doctrine  is 
to  God. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Continuation  of  the  rule — Monkish  vow  of  poverty — How  observed 
— Anecdote  of  a  Carmelite — Masses — Obedience — Education  of 
Novices — An  ass  turned  into  an  ox — The  tree  of  obedience. 

In  another  chapter  of  the  book  of  rules,  the  friars  am 
not  only  exhorted,  but  positively  commanded  "  to  have 
neither  lands,  nor  houses,  nor  money,  either  in  common 
4 


26       ,  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

or  for  individual  use — but  to  depend  entirely  on  the 
charity  of  the  faithful  for  subsistence.^^  They  are  com- 
manded to  go  ^^from  door  to  door'^  (da  uscio  in  uscio, 
are  the  express  words  of  Francis,)  "  begging — not  money, 
which  they  are  prohibited  from  touching,  but — provi- 
sions.'''' This  part  of  the  rule  is  now  entirely  disregarded, 
and  was,  from  the  very  beginning  of  the  Franciscan  insti- 
tute, and  in  the  days  of  Francis  himself — a  pretty  sample  of 
obedience  to  the  precepts  of  a  rule,  which  he  impiously 
gave  out  to  be  written  by  God  himself.  It  is  well  known, 
that  no  people  are  so  fond  of  money  as  monks,  and  none 
make  so  little  use  of  it  for  the  good  of  society  in  general. 
Absolute  poverty,  which  they  swear,  yes,  solemnly  swear 
to  observe,  and  live  in,  is  openly  and  in  the  face  of  the 
public  set  at  naught ;  most  convents  having  lands  and 
rents  attached  to  them  for  their  support.  Thus  is  the 
command  at  once  broken  through  by  them,  considered  as 
a  community  or  body.  The  latter  part — that  of  "  begging 
from  door  to  door — for  provisions" — is  indeed  observed 
in  part,  and  only  in  part,  for  they  take  money,  if  offered. 
It  is  continued  chiefly  more  for  the  purpose  of  giving  the 
world  an  idea  of  their  poverty  and  humility,  than  through 
any  absolute  want  they  feel  of  such  assistance.  They 
have  also  a  good  income — paid  always  in  money,  mind — 
from  the  many  masses  daily  celebrated  in  their  churches, 
according  to  the  intention  of  the  highest  bidder.  The 
atonement  of  Christ  set  up  for  auction  !  mark  that,  reader. 
These  masses  are  mostly  said  in  aid  of  the  souls  in  purga- 
tory, which,  whatever  it  be  as  a  place  of  punishment  to 
its  inmates,  is  certainly  the  source  of  many  enjoyments 
to  its  turnkeys,  and  has  been  justly  called  the  pope's 
bank — a  bank,  indeed,  which  will  never  stop  payment  as 
long  as  the  reign  of  superstition  lasts.  Masses  are  often 
said  likewise,  according  to  the  intention  of  some  swindler 
and  assassin,  who  wishes  to  implore  God's  blessing  on 
his  nefarious  undertakings.  Some  sincere,  though  mis- 
taken believers  in  their  efficacy,  also  pay  for  masses  to 
b^  said  for  some  virtuous  intention ;  but  these  are  rare 
cases,  and  if  monks  depended  upon  their  frequent  occur- 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  27 

Tence  for  support,  they  would  soon  be  obliged  to  shut 
up  shop. 

Much  as  monks,  considered  as  a  community,  transgress 
the  vow  of  poverty,  they  transgress  it  still  more  indivi- 
dually. There  are  few,  very  few  indeed,  among  them, 
■who  have  not  each  his  own  private  purse,  which  is  often 
applied  to  uses  that  would  not  bear  examination.  Some 
over-scrupulous,  and  yet  unwilling  to  forfeit  the  gratifica- 
tions which  money  can  procure,  coyer  their  hands  with 
two  or  three  pairs  of  gloves,  whilst  using  it,  in  order  to 
«vade  the  law,  which  simply  says,  ^'^  fr aires  peciiniam 
non  attinganf'' — let  friars  not  touch  money.  Thus  they 
endeavour  to  stifle  the  voice  of  conscience  by  never 
touching  it  with  their  naked  fingers,  and  think,  that  they 
have  satisfied  the  law,  if  they  blindfold  the  d — 1  in  the 
dark.  This  way  of  getting  over  a  difficulty,  or  of  inter- 
preting a  command  in  one's  own  favour,  is  similar  to 
that  of  the  Carmelite's,  who,  not  being  allowed  by  the 
rules  of  his  order  to  eat  meat  within  the  convent,  though 
he  may  without,  thrust  his  head  and  part  of  his  body  out 
of  the  window,  and  in  that  position  devoured  a  whole 
fowl.  There  are  others,  who  go  in  a  more  open  way  to 
work  ;  those  who  apply  to  the  pope  for  a  brief  by  which 
they  may  be  empowered  to  keep  money,  on  payment  of 
a  certain  sum  to  His  Holiness ;  but  the  greater  part  never 
trouble  their  heads  about  either  pope  or  bishop's  leave, 
and  keep  as  much  money  as  they  can  come  at.  Indeed, 
a  monk's  conscience  becomes  larger  and  larger  every  day, 
till  at  last,  being  entirely  worn  out,  it  bursts,  and  stops  at 
nothing. 

I  shall  mention  the  contents  of  one  more  chapter  of  this 
rule,  and  make  a  few  remarks  thereon,  and  then  be  done 
with  it.  Blind,  servile  obedience  to  the  local  and  gene- 
ral superiors  of  the  order,  is  insisted  upon  and  command- 
ed to  be  strictly  observed  by  the  rule  of  St.  Francis. 
This  is  made  an  essential  point  in  the  character  of  a  good 
monk,  and  on  this,  according  to  monkish  moralists,  all 
other  virtues  depend.  Obedience,  indeed,  considered  in 
relation  to  God,  or  to  parents,  or  to  those  who  have  any 
lawful  power  to  command  it  from  us,  is  certainly  a  virtue ; 


28  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

but  when  it  exten4s  itself  to  the  performance  of  things, 
which  are  little  in  unison  with  gospel  morality,  it  must 
certainly,  whatever  monkish  moralists  say  to  the  contrary, 
lose  in  a  great  measure  its  good  effects.  Thus  the  su- 
perior of  a  monastery  will  command  one  of  his  subjects 
to  preach  a  funeral  sermon  over  the  corpse  of  one,  whose 
whole  life  was  one  continued  round  of  vice  and  immoral- 
ity. The  convent  will  gain  something  by  it,  and  the 
subject  of  course  must  obey  his  superior.  He  then  in 
that  very  pulpit  designed  for  spreading  the  truths  of  the 
gospel — though  a  monastic  pulpit  is  seldom  used  for  that 
purpose — must  praise  the  virtues  and  piety  of  the  de- 
ceased, and  with  an  unblushing  disregard  for  truth,  must 
attribute  to  him  some  noble  actions,  of  which  he  was 
never  guilty  ;  having  been,  on  the  contrary,  the  scandal 
and  rock  of  offence  to  the  whole  neighbourhood.  How 
then  will  the  preacher  excuse  himself  to  his  own  con- 
science for  this  unworthy  prostitution  of  his  oratory? 
Why,  by  simply  thinking  that  his  vow  of  obedience  com- 
pelled him  to  it,  and  instead  of  fearing  God's  indignation, 
he  places  it  among  the  bundle  of  his  merits,  to  be  presented 
at  his  death  as  a  passport  to  heaven  ;  for  it  is  an  axiom 
with  them,  that  the  more  difficult  the  command,  the 
greater  is  the  merit  of  obeying  it.  Again,  if  a  subject  be 
commanded  by  his  superior^to  attend  at  the  last  moments 
of  a  dying  rich  man — and  this  is  an  every-day  occur- 
rence— and  to  endeavour  to  prevail  upon  him,  whilst  in 
that  feeble  state  of  mind  and  body,  to  bequeath  his  wealth, 
or  the  greater  portion  of  it,  to  the  monastery  for  the  good 
of  his  soul  ;  the  subject  dare  not  disobey,  though  he  is 
well  aware  that  the  favourable  issue  of  his  commission 
will  tend  to  the  injury  of  the  children  and  other  near 
relatives  of  the  dying  man.  He  only  works  in  his  voca- 
tion, leaving  to  those  whom  he  obeys  to  reconcile  the  act 
to  the  strict  rules  of  equity  and  justice  ;  and,  perhaps,  he 
excuses  himself  in  the  words  of  FalstafF — "It  is  my 
vocation,  it  is  no  sin  for  a  man  to  work  at  his  vocation." 
This  blind  obedience  to  the  will  of  tlie  superiors  is 
more  than  any  thing  else  dwelt  upon  in  the  education  of 
novices.     From  the  moment  they  take  the  habit,  they 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  29 

are  led  by  degrees  to  lose  the  exercise  of  their  free-will, 
and  of  the  innate  power  of  judging  between  fas  and  ne- 
fas — right  and  wrong.  They  are  taught  to  consider  an 
action  essentially  bad  in  itself  as  meritorious,  when  sanc- 
tioned by  the  command  of  the  superior.  Their  instruct- 
ers,  however,  take  good  care  not  to  wound  all  at  once 
their  natural  sense  of  propriety,  but  conduct  them  insen- 
sibly, and  without  their  perceiving  it,  to  make  a  sacrifice 
of  their  judgment.  They  at  first  command  only  trifling 
things,  and  such  as  are  of  no  moment ;  things  indifferent 
in  themselves,  and  neither  bad  nor  good.  Thus,  one  is 
commanded  to  plant  some  cabbages  in  the  garden  with 
the  roots  upwards  ;  another,  to  stick  in  the  ground  a 
piece  of  dry,  rotten  wood,  and  water  it  so  many  times  a 
day,  as  if  it  were  a  living  plant — a  duty  I  performed 
myself  for  nearly  one  fortnight ;  another  is  ordered  to 
pronounce  so  many  Latin  words  contrary  to  the  received 
and  established  rules  of  prosody,  as  legere  for  legere, 
dominus  for  dominus,  epistola  for  eplstola,  and  so  on. 
The  novices  are  in  this  way  brought  by  degrees  to  accus- 
tom themselves  to  be  guided  by  others,  and  to  perform 
the  will  of  their  superior  in  every  thing,  till  at  last  they 
become  as  pieces  of  wax  in  the  hands  of  a  saint  maker, 
who  is  at  liberty  to  make  of  it  a  Gesii  Bambino,  a  Ma- 
donna, or  a  de — il,  as  it  may  best  answer  his  purpose. 
Nor  are  there  wanting  legends  and  tales,  to  more  forcibly 
impress  on  the  mind  the  merit  of  obedience.  Out  of 
thousands  I  will  select  one  or  two. 

St.  Francis,  walking  one  day  in  company  with  one  of 
his  novices,  saw,  on  the  side  of  the  road,  an  ass  feeding. 
"  Is  not  that  a  fine  ox,"  said  he  to  his  companion ;  "  and 
how  ought  we  to  be  thankful  to  God  for  his  goodness  in 
bestowing  on  us  such  auxiUaries  to  help  us  on  in  our 
labours."  The  novice  looked  towards  the  hedge,  and 
saw — not  an  ox,  but — an  ass,  endeavouring  to  satisfy 
his  appetite  on  a  meal  of  thistles.  Thinking  that  .the 
saint,  in  his  simplicity,  really  mistook  an  ass  for  an  ox, 
whilst  the  holy  patriarch  was  only  trying  his  obedience, 
he  took  the  liberty  to  inform  him  of  his  mistake.  The 
saint,  however,  chided  him  for  his  pains,  and  telling  him 
4* 


30  SIX   YEARS  IN   THE 

to  look  again,  lo  !  the  ass  was  in  an  instant  transformed 
into  a  beautiful  and  strong  ox.  The  novice  now  threw 
himself  at  the  saint's  feet,  humbly  imploring  his  forgive- 
ness, for  h-aving  dared  to  think  or  see  any  thing,  but  in 
the  way  that  he,  his  superior,  thought  or  saw  it :  the 
man  of  God,  after  reading  him  a  lecture  on  submitting 
even  his  senses  to  the  authority  of  his  superiors,  raised 
him  up,  and  took  him  again  into  favour,  on  his  promising 
never  to  believe  his  own  eyes  again. 

There  is  another  legend,  by  which  the  merit  of  blind 
obedience  is  impressed  upon  the  minds  of  novices,  and 
which,  having  some  likeness  to  the  task  I  myself  had  to 
perform — that  of  watering  a  dry  stick  thrust  into  the 
ground — may  not  be  found  uninteresting.  It  is  the  fol- 
lowing : — 

In  the  garden  of  the  convent  of  Capuchins  at  AUatri — 
a  town  of  the  papal  states  situated  in  the  Carapagna  di 
Roma — there  is  a  fine  fig  tree,  which  every  year  produces 
abundance  of  delicious  fruit.  The  tradition  attached  to 
this  tree  forms  the  subject  of  the  legend.  A  young  man, 
of  most  libertine  principles,  who  had  passed  through 
every  stage  of  vice  which  is  practised  in  a  sinful  world, 
being  obliged  to  flee  from  Rome,  on  account  of  having 
wounded  in  a  duel  one  of  the  companions  of  his  debauch- 
ery, took  refuge  in  the  convent,  till  the  powerful  interest 
of  his  relations — he  being  of  a  noble  family — could  pro- 
cure his  pardon.  In  the  mean  time  he  was  a  diligent 
observer  of  the  piety  and  sanctity  of  the  monks,  (so  says 
the  annalist — a  monk,  to  be  sure,)  and  at  last  came  to  the 
resolution  of  renouncing  the  world  altogether,  and  of 
serving  God  under  the  rule  of  St.  Francis.  With  this 
intention,  he  sought  the  superior,  and,  with  tears  in  his 
eyes,  begged  to  be  received  as  a  novice.  The  superior, 
in  order  to  try  his  vocation,  angrily  repulsed  him,  and 
said,  that  such  an  infamous  wretch  as  he,  was  not  worthy 
to  be  classed  among  the  followers  of  the  holy  patriarch. 
But  this  refusal  served  only  to  excite  his  desire  the  more, 
and  he  again  and  again  renewed  his  petition.  The  su- 
perior, seeing  his  constancy,  at  length  consented ;  fear- 
ing, that  if  he  resisted  any  longer,  he  would  be  acting 


MONASTERIES  OF    ITALY,  ETC.  31 

against  the  divine  impulse  that  so  strongly  excited  the 
young  man  to  forsake  the  world  and  its  vanities.  He 
was  received  as  a  novice.  His  master-novice,  in  order 
to  exercise  him  in  obedience,  commanded  him  to  take 
from  the  fire  a  half-burnt  piece  of  wood,  and  plant  it  in 
the  garden,  at  a  quarter  of  a  mile's  distance  from  the 
well,  whence  he  was  to  draw  water  to  water  it  three 
times  every  day.  It  happened,  -that  tlie  piece  of  wood 
was  a  part  of  a  fig  tree,  and — remark  the  fruits  of  obedi- 
ence— the  half-burnt  stick  took  root,  and  grew  into  the 
beautiful  tree  which  is  to  be  seen  to  this  day  in  the  gar- 
den of  the  Allatri  convent.  It  is  now  called  by  the 
monks,  and  other  inhabitants  of  the  town,  '■'■Valbore  della 
ubbedienza,^^  or  the  tree  of  obedience.  Such  ridiculous 
stories  as  these  are  made  the  means  of  rendering  the  un- 
fortunate victims  of  monkery  the  willing  agents  for 
upholding  the  doctrines  of  the  Romish  church,  and  of 
placing  them  as  tools  in  the  hands  of  the  more  cunning, 
for  executing  their  own  private  views,  and  for  leading 
ast!ray,  from  the  road  to  salvation,  the  minds  of  a  super- 
stitious peasantry. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

What  excited  Francis  to  found  his  order — Benedictines — Santoni — 
State  of  the  religious  orders  in  the  thirteenth  century — State  of 
the  people — Francis'  ambition. 

It  will  not  be  thought  foreign  to  the  present  subject  to 
make  a  few  remarks  on  the  reasons  which  first  excited 
Francis  to  institute  his  order.  They  were  chiefly  these  : 
the  indolent,  lazy,  inactive  life  of  the  other  monkish  or- 
ders— the  superstition  of  the  age  in  which  he  lived,  (the 
beginning  of  the  thirteenth  century,)  and  which  he  well 
knew  would  receive  with  applause  any  appeal  to  its 
notions  of  religion — and  the  fire  of  ambition  burning  in 
his  bosom,  and  strongly  driving  him  on  to  distinguish 
himself  by  becoming  founder  of  a  monastic  order.     On 


32  SIX    YEARS   IN    THE 

looking  into  the  state  of  the  monastic  orders  of  Francis' 
days,  we  cannot  help  observing,  that  the  greater  part  of 
them  fell  away  from  their  primitive  institute.  The  Bene- 
dictines, founded  many  centuries  before  by  Benedict — 
another  fanatic — were  fast  falling  into  the  disrepute  they 
so  justly  merited,  for  their  slothful,  indolent,  and  vicious 
lives.  Benedict's  intention  was,  that  his  followers  should 
lead  an  ascetic  life,  wholly  secluded  from  the  world,  and 
that  their  monasteries  should  be  built  far  from  any  popu- 
lous city.  This  regulation,  which  was  doubtless  intended 
by  their  founder  as  a  preventive  against  secular  ambition, 
very  soon  became  inadequate  to  the  accomplishment  of 
that  purpose.  By  degrees,  riches  flowed  into  them,  and 
their  primitive  frugality  was  then  soon  at  an  end.  They 
became  masters  of  the  land  for  miles  in  the  neighbour- 
hood of  their  monasteries,  and  all  the  peasantry  thereon 
became  slaves  to  their  clerical  masters,  who  exercised 
the  power  of  life  and  death  over  them.  The  monasteries 
soon  became  fortified  castles  ;  it  being  no  unusual  sight 
to  see  mitred  abbots,  with  the  crozier  in  one  hand  and 
the  sword  in  the  other,  leading  on  their  vassals  against 
some  secular  lord,  from  whom  they  had  received,  or 
imagined  to  have  received,  some  insult.  These  petty 
brawls  were  the  only  disturbances  which  aroused  them 
from  their  beloved  indolence  ;  for,  at  other  times,  their 
lives  were  chiefly  spent  in  feasting--not  fasting  ;  and  in 
mumbling  over  some  Latin  prayers,  which  the  greater 
part  of  them  did  not  understand.  Many  people  are  under 
the  impression  that  the  world  is  much  indebted  to  the 
Benedictines  for  the  care  they  took  in  preserving  and 
transcribing  many  valuable  books,  which,  were  it  not  for 
them,  would  scarcely  have  come  down  to  us.  That 
some  books  were  preserved  in  their  monasteries,  espe- 
cially in  those  belonging  to  the  congregation  of  St.  Maure, 
cannot  be  denied ;  but  did  they  endeavour  to  instruct  the 
people  in  general  to  use  such  books  ?  Quite  the  con- 
trary has  been  the  case.  It  was  their  interest  to  keep 
the  people  in  ignorance,  in  order  to  maintain  their  own 
influence  over  them ;  and  as  he  was  thought  a  learned 
man  in  those  days  who  could  read  and  write,  so  the 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  33 

monks  were  looked  upon  as  superior  beings,  who  were 
masters  of  these  extraordinary  qualifications.  The  bulls 
issued  by  the  reigning  popes  of  that  period  speak  volumes 
as  to  the  ignorant  state  of  the  people  in  general,  and 
more  particularly  of  the  ignorant  state  of  the  vassals  of 
the  church.  These  bulls  loudly  complain,  that  the  pea- 
santry living  on  the  estates  of  most  abbeys,  were  igno- 
rant of  the  first  rudiments  of  Christianity.  The  monks, 
indeed,  took  very  little  trouble  to  teach  them  any  thing 
at  all ;  but  when  they  did,  it  consisted  in  repeating  Pater- 
nosters and  Ave  Marias,  and  some  other  Latin  prayers  to 
the  Virgin  and  saints.  When  they  preached,  the  subject 
was  not  the  way  of  salvation,  as  pointed  out  in  the  re- 
vealed word,  but  some  miracle  or  life  of  a  saint  chosen 
from  their  order.  Thus,  the  world,  all  things  considered, 
does  not  lie  under  such  obligations  to  the  Benedictines 
as  their  advocates  would  lead  us  to  believe  ;  for  truly, 
had  they  never  existed,  or  had  they  taken  more  pains  to 
instruct  the  people,  the  reign  of  barbarism  and  Vandalie 
ignorance  would  not  so  long  have  afflicted  the  human 
race. 

The  other  orders,  including  the  Augustinians,  Carmel- 
ites, and  their  different  ramifications,  were  on  a  par,  both 
in  utility  and  morality,  with  the  Benedictines.  The  peo- 
ple, though  uneducated,  could,  however,  judge  of  the  evil 
effects  naturally  flowing  from  the  monkish  system,  and 
were  ripe  for  shaking  off  the  galling  yoke  of  their  cle- 
rical rulers,  as  soon  as  they  could  find  a  favourable  oppor- 
tunity. The  veneration  in  which  monks  were  held  began 
to  sensibly  decrease,  and  the  people  by  degrees  gave  less 
credence  to  their  stories  of  prodigies  and  holiness,  which 
were  so  contradictory  to  the  known  tenor  of  their  lives. 
They  began  to  look  around  for  some  one,  that,  making 
himself  one  of  themselves,  would  both  flatter  their  pas- 
sion for  the  marvellous,  and  free  them  from  the  proud 
domination  of  mitred  abbots.  Every  fool,  who  had  not 
the  wit  or  the  means  of  living  in  the  society  of  his  neigh- 
bours, found  immediate  support  by  wandering  about  the 
country  in  the  assumed  character  of  a  santone,  or  huge 
saint.     His  poverty,  and  the  filthiness  of  his  rags,  wero 


34  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

considered,  by  a  superstitious  peasantry,  as  evident  signs 
of  superior  holiness,  and  the  miracles  and  visions  which 
he  pretended  to  have  seen,  were  listened  to  with  open 
mouths.  The  idea,  that  their  lordly  masters,  the  Bene- 
dictines and  others,  could  alone  be  acceptable  to  God,  or 
could  alone  perform  miracles,  began  to  wear  away  fast, 
and  there  was  wanting  only  a  san^one  more  cunning  than 
the  rest  to  fix  their  veneration  on  himself  alone,  and  on 
his  followers,  and  to  withdraw  it  altogether  from  their 
sanctified  tyrants.  Such  a  one  was  presented  to  them  in 
the  person  of  Francis. 

Francis  long  since  was  aware  of  the  decline  of  Bene- 
dictine influence,  and  not  having  the  talents  to  distinguish 
himself  in  any  secular  profession,  and,  like  the  man  that 
burned  he  temple  of  Diana  at  Ephesus,  being  ambitious 
to  immortalize  his  name — no  matter  how — thought  that 
a  favourable  opportunity  now  presented  itself  of  arriving 
at  that  object.  He  therefore  dressed  himself  in  tattered 
rags,  and,  barefooted,  wandered  about  the  country,  feign- 
ing a  most  sanctified  deportment,  and  relating  the  wonders 
and  visions  with  which  he  was  favoured.  He  silently 
and  patiently  suffered  the  insults,  and  even  the  blows  of 
those  who  were  sent  by  the  lordly  Benedictines  to  drive 
him  from  the  neighbourhood  of  their  monasteries  ;  for, 
conscious  of  their  declining  influence  over  the  minds  of 
the  people,  they  rightly  judged  that  he,  and  other  vaga- 
bond saints  of  his  stamp,  were  the  cause  of  it,  by  placing 
their  meekness,  poverty,  and  show  of  sanctity,  in  the 
face  of  their  own  pride,  riches,  and  want  of  common 
decency.  His  patience  and  assumed  meekness  under 
insults,  served  to  increase  his  popularity,  and  to  attract 
the  more  general  notice  of  the  people.  He  found  him- 
self surrounded  in  a  short  time  by  many  followers  ;  some 
of  his  own  class  being  excited  to  unite  themselves  to  him, 
as  the  means  of  more  easily  acquiring  the  public  esteem, 
and  to  satisfy  their  darling  passion  of  being  thought 
saints  ;  whilst  others,  with  more  pure  and  disinterested 
motives,  and  firmly  believing  in  the  reality  of  his  affected 
sanctity,  took  him  as  their  guide,  and  hoped,  through  his 
intercession  and  prayers,  to  obtain  favour  with  God      O, 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  35 

human  blindness  !  And  was  there  no  one  to  preach  the 
blessed  and  life-giving  doctrine  of  justification,  through 
the  vicarious  atonement  of  a  Saviour,  to  these  souls  pant- 
ing after  immortality  ?  Was  there  no  one  to  point  out  to 
them  the  Lamb  of  God,  "  which  taketh  away  the  sin  of 
the  world?"  Their  error  was  more  of  the  judgment 
than  of  the  heart,  and  had  Francis  and  his  co-impostors 
been  as  desirous  of  exalting  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  as 
they  were  of  exalting  themselves,  to  these  souls  asking 
the  "  way  to  be  saved,!'  his  answer  would  not  be — "  be- 
lieve in  me,  unite  yourselves  to  me,  and  under  my  pro- 
tecting wings  ye  may  be  sure  of  salvation  :"  but  it  would 
be — "  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  ye  shall  be 
saved."  But  this  answer  would  debase  himself,  and 
make  him  lose  the  fruits  of  his  imposture — the  acquiring 
a  name  for  himself,  and  the  honour  of  being  founder  of  a 
monastic  order. 

Francis,  soon  after  he  had  acquired  a  sufficient  number 
of  followers,  and  had  excited  in  the  minds  of  the  people 
an  extravagant  notion  of  his  superior  holiness,  retired 
into  the  mountains  of  his  native  town,  Assisi,  perhaps 
really  fleeing  from  his  father,  who  had  sense  enough  to 
wish  that  his  son  might  distinguish  himself  in  some  other 
way  ;  or  perhaps  to  give  the  appearance  of  reality  to  the 
story  he  had  already  fabricated  about  his  rule  ;  which  lias 
been  already  related.  It  is  said  by  his  monkish  biogra- 
phers, that  his  father  had  him  forcibly  brought  back  to 
his  house  at  Assisi,  and  confined  him  for  a  considerable 
time  to  one  of  the  rooms,  secured  with  a  lock  and  key, 
in  order  to  turn  him  away  from  his  intention  of  becoming 
a  saint ;  but  finding  this  and  many  like  attempts  on  his 
virtue  (as  they  call  his  obstinacy)  of  no  avail,  he,  at  last, 
stripped  him  naked  and  turned  him  into  the  streets.  Be 
that  as  it  may,  it  is  certain  that  he  obtained  the  confirma- 
tion of  his  rule  from  Pope  Honorius  soon  after  the  in- 
vention of  the  story  about  the  crucifix,  and  in  less  than 
two  years  after  its  confirmation,  he  saw  himself  arrived 
at  the  goal  of  his  wishes,  in  being  the  founder  and  head 
of  a  flourishing  order.  In  some  of  his  pictures,  which 
may  be  frequently  seen  in  the  Franciscan  churches,  he  is 


36  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

represented  in  a  state  of  nudity,  running  away  from  his 
father,  and  fleeing  for  protection  under  the  folds  of  the 
pope's  garments,  with  the  inscription,  "  Pater  ine  abjecit, 
JDeus  autem  me  accepit.^^  (My  father  has  cast  rae  off, 
but  God  has  taken  me  in.)  This  probably  allu'des  to  the 
circumstance  related  by  his  biographers,  of  his  father's 
having  turned  him  away  as  incorrigible  and  disobedient. 
A  breach  of  the  third  commandment  is  thus  held  up  as 
worthy  of  imitation,  and  made  one  of  the  virtues  of  a 
canonized  saint !  Popery,  poperj^  when  wilt  thou  learn 
to  blush  ? 


CHAPTER  VII. 

Novitiate  —  Education  of  Novices  —  Master-novice  —  His  qualifica- 
tions— Popish  prayers — Canonization  and  Beatification — Canoni- 
cal hours. 

The  first  year  of  a  monkish  life  is  called  the  year  of  no- 
vitiate. During  this  year,  the  novices,  or  embryo-monks, 
live  apart  from  those  who  are  already  professed.  Their 
rooms  are  situated  in  the  most  retired  part  of  the  con- 
vent, nor  are  they  allowed  to  have  intercourse  with  any 
one,  or  even  to  speak  to  each  other,  without  leave  from 
the  master-novice.  He  is  always  at  their  side,  and  they 
must  be  governed  entirely  by  his  directions,  which  are 
always  given  in  a  tone  of  command.  He  is  for  the  most 
part  a  learned  man,  though  it  not  unfrequently  happens, 
that  he  is  chosen  to  that  oflice  more  on  account  of  his 
cunning  than  his  learning  :  indeed,  the  chief  qualifica- 
tions looked  for  in  a  master-novice  are,  a  calm,  even 
temper  ;  a  knowledge  of  the  human  heart ;  an  utter 
devotion  to  the  good  and  aggrandizement  of  the  order  ; 
and  a  power  of  deep  dissimulation.  The  two  latter 
qualifications  are  considered  as  most  essential ;  the  first, 
in  order  to  be  able  to  impress  on  the  minds  of  the  novices 
the  same  love  and  devotion  for  the  good  of  the  order, 
which  stimulate  himself :  the  last,  in  order  to  closely 
observe,  and  at  the  same  time,  appear  as  if  not  observing, 
the  actions  and  even  the  thoughts  of  those  committed  to 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  37 

his  guidance.  His  first  care  is  to  dive  into  the  novice's 
natural  disposition,  by  leaving  him  to  himself,  and 
almost  master  of  his  own  actions,  for  the  first  two  or  three 
months.  Having  found  out  his  failings,  which  perhaps, 
in  the  opinion  of  a  more  upright  judge,  would  be  con- 
sidered as  leaning  to  virtue's  side,  he  then  prepares  for 
the  remedy. 

Nothing  is  so  much  dwelt  upon  in  the  education  of 
novices,  as  the  article  of  prompt  and  passive  obedience. 
This  is  held  up  to  their  view  as  the  greatest  of  all  possi- 
ble virtues,  and  the  oire  upon  which  all  other  virtues  are 
founded.  To  accustom  the  mind  to  be  guided  in  every 
thing  by  the  command  of  the  superior,  the  master-novice 
is  sure  to  command  things,  which,  from  his  own  obser- 
vation, he  thinks  might  be  in  direct  variance  with  the 
natural  or  acquired  disposition  of  the  novice.  If  he  ob- 
serve one  of  his  pupils  passionately  fond  of  reading  and 
study,  he  will  command  him  to  abstain  from  such  indul- 
gence for  a  certain  time,  and  then  reads  him  a  lecture  on 
the  vanity  of  all  human  acquirements.  Should  he  observe 
another  rather  tired  of  the  stories  contained  in  the  "  an- 
nals of  the  order,"*  it  is  his  duty  to  command  him  to 
read  so  many  pages  of  these  annals  every  day,  and  render 
an  account  of  what  he  had  read,  with  his  reflections 
thereon,  at  some  stated  time,  to  himself.  By  degrees, 
the  mind  of  the  novice,  trained  up  in  this  way,  accustoms 
itself  to  depend  entirely  upon  the  will  of  others,  and 
almost  forgets  that  it  has  in  itself  an  innate  power  of 
volition.  When  arrived  at  this  point,  the  master's  work 
is  more  than  half  done.  He  then,  by  slight  insinuations 
at  first,  and  afterwards  more  openly,  establishes  the  mon- 
strous doctrine  "that  the  good  of  the  order  ought  to  be 
consulted  in  every  thing."  He  proves  by  arguments  the 
most  convincing  to  those  minds  already  prepared  for 
them,  that  a  "thing  essentially  bad  in  itself  becomes 

*  The  book,  or  rather  books,  for  there  are  seven  huge  folio  volumes  of 
it,  used  for  instructing  the  novices  in  monkery,  called  "  gli  annali  del 
serafico  ordine" — the  annals  of  the  seraphic  order.  These  annals 
rival  the  breviary  itself  in  lying,  and  seem  to  have  been  written  by 
the  inspiration  of  the  father  of  lies  himself. 
5 


38  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

good,  when  it  is  performed  for  the  advancement  of  the 
order,  or  by  the  command  of  the  superior,  who  ought 
to  be  the  best  judge  of  what  is  lawful,  and  what  un- 
lawful to  be  done  by  the  subject."  He  then  sums  up, 
and  concludes  his  anti-Christian  theories  with  one  short 
rule,  "  that  by  obeying  his  superior  in  every  thing,  a 
monk  may  be  sure  of  everlasting  life,  and  can  never  com- 
mit a  sin,  even  whilst  in  the  performance  of  the  basest 
action,  if  he  performs  it  by  command  of  his  superior." 

It  is  also  the  duty  of  the  master-novice  to  teach  the 
novices  the  ceremonies  and  pra^rs  of  the  church,  and 
the  manner  of  reciting  the  divine  office  in  choir.  The 
ceremonies  consist  in  the  diflerent  genuflections  to  be 
made  at  the  time  of  mass  ;  the  number  of  times  the 
ground  ought  to  be  kissed  ;  and  the  posture  of  body  to 
be  observed  on  different  occasions.  In  the  presence  of 
strangers,  they  are  taught  to  put  on  a  holy  mortified 
countenance,  to  keep  their  eyes  fixed  on  the  ground,  and 
their  arms  crossed  on  their  breast.  They  are  taught  to 
answer  modestly  and  in  a  few  words  to  any  question 
that  might  be  put  to  them,  and  to  evade  all  questions  re- 
lative to  the  internal  policy  of  the  order.  Thus  should 
an  acquaintance  ask  a  monk,  "  whether  it  be  likely  that 
Padre  N —  will  be  made  provincial  at  the  ensuing  chap- 
ter," the  monk  is  sure  not  to  understand  the  question  at 
first,  and  to  endeavour  to  evade  it.  When  pressed,  how- 
ever, for  a  direct  answer,  he  either  pleads  ignorance  on 
the  subject,  or  simply  says,  "  that  the  election  of  supe- 
riors rests  in  the  hands  of  God,  and  that,  for  his  part,  he 
is  willing  to  obey  whomsoever  it  may  please  the  Divine 
Will  to  place  over  him."  By  this  show  of  humility  he 
leaves  the  inquirer  as  wise  as  before,  and  in  admiration 
of  his  deep  resignation  to  the  will  of  God.  The  novices 
are  early  exercised  in  this  manner  of  answering.  Their 
master  will,  for  instance,  ask  one  of  them,  "  If  it  be 
raining,  or  fine  weather?"  The  simple,  direct  answer 
would  be,  "  Yes ;  or  no ;"  but  the  novice  is  taught  to 
answer,  "  It  seems  to  me,"  or,  "  If  I  be  not  mistaken;  it 
is  fine  weather,"  or,  "it  is  raining." 

The  prayers  which   they  are   taught  chiefly  consist 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC,  39 

in  repeating  the  rosary  of  the  Virgin  Mary  ;  or  in  getting;, 
by  heart  some  hymn,  composed  in  honour  of  some  other 
Saint  or  Saintess,  and  accustomed  to  be  sung  before  his 
or  her  image,  in  order  to  implore  its  intercession.  The 
rosary  is  a  species  of  superstitious  worship — for  prayer 
it  can  scarcely  be  called — in  which  one  "  Pater-noster" 
is  offered  to  God  for  every  ten  "  Ave  Marias"  offered  to 
the  Virgin  Mary.  It  is  made  up  of  ten  parts,  in  each  of 
which  the  Lord's  Prayer  is  repeated  once,  and  the  Hail 
Mary  ten  times,  so  that  one  hundred  prayers  are  re- 
peated in  honour  of  thte  Virgin,  and  ten  only  in  honour 
of  God.  It  concludes  with  the  following  blasphemous 
address  to  the  Virgin  ;  which  I  here  subjoin  for  the  satis- 
faction of  those,  who  are  not  acquainted  with  the  extent 
of  popish  irreligion,  and  who  perhaps  will  think  it  im- 
possible, that  any  church  calling  itself  Christian,  could 
sanction  by  its  authority  so  barefaced  an  insult  to  the 
.  giKat  Mediator  between  God  and  man.  It  may  tend  also 
to  make  those  who  are  favoured  with  the  blessings  of 
gospel  liberty,  to  duly  appreciate  that  inestimable  trea- 
sure, and  exert  themselves  in  behalf  of  their  less  fortunate 
fellow  creatures,  who  live  under  the  yoke  of  a  wily 
priesthood,  and  who  are  kept  from  depending  upon  the 
all-sufficient  atonement  of  Jesus  by  having  their  minds 
turned  away  from  Him,  the  Lord  and  Giver  of  life,  to 
the  worship  and  adoration  of  his  creatures. 

Salve,  Regina,  mater  misericordix,  vita,  dulcedo,  et 
spes  nostra,  Salve,  ^d  te  clamanus,  exules  filii  Hevae, 
ad  te  suspiramus,  gementes  et  flentes  in  hac  lachryma- 
Tum  valle,  Eja,  ergo,  ndvocata  nostra,  illos  tuos  miseri- 
cordes  oculos  ad  nos  converte,  et  Jesum  benedictum 
fructum  ventris  tui,  nobis  post  hoc  exilium  ostende,  O 
Clemens,   O  pia,  O   dulcis  virgo  Maria.*     (Hail,  holy 

*  The  translation  is  added  for  the  benefit  of  such  as  do  not  under- 
stand Latin,  and  who  are  not,  like  the  greater  part  of  Romanists, 
loud  in  praising  or  condemning  what  they  do  not  understand.  In- 
deed, the  above  prayer  is  daily  repeated  by  millions  of  devotees  be- 
fore the  image  of  the  Virgin,  who  do  not  understand  a  syllable  of 
the  meaning  of  it.  If  they  could  understand  it,  it  may  be  charitably 
hoped,  that  they  would  repeat  it  less  frequently. 


40  SIX   TEARS    IN    THE 

Queen,  mother  of  mercy,  our  life,  our  sweetness,  and 
our  hope:  to  thee  do  we  cry,  poor  banished  sons  of 
Eve,  to  thee  do  we  send  up  our  sighs,  whilst  mourning 
and  weeping  in  this  valley  of  tears.  Turn  then,  O  most 
gracious  advocate,  thy  eyes  of  mercy  towards  us,  and 
show  us,  after  this  our  banishment,  Jesus,  the  blessed 
fruit  of  thy  womb,  O  clement,  0  pious,  O  sweet  Virgin 
Mary.) 

There  is  also  another  Latin  prayer  in  verse,  and  in 
the  form  of  a  hymn,  which  is  frequently  sung  in  honour 
of  the  popish  goddess,  and  which  it  may  not  be  thought 
needless  to  mention  here,  as  it  forms  one  of  the  parrot- 
prayers,  which  the  young  monk  is  obliged  to  commit  to 
memory.  It  begins  with  an  invocation  to  the  Virgin, 
which  would  be  very  appropriate  if  addressed  to  Venus, 
whom  the  poets  feign  to  have  been  born  of  the  foam  of 
the  sea ;  but  when  applied  to  the  meek  and  chaste  Mary, 
it  is  certainly  very  much  out  of  place.  The  following 
is  a  part  of  it : — 

Ave  maris  stella, 

Dei  mater  alma, 

Atque  semper  virgo, 

Felix  coeli  porta. 

Monstra  te  esse  matrem 

Sumens  per  te  preces, 

Qui  pro  nobis  natus 

Tulit  esse  tuus. 

Virgo  Singularis 

Inter  omnes  mitis ; 

No3  culpis  solutos 

Mites  fac,  et  castos. 

The  Virgin  Mary  is  here  called  the  "Star  of  the  sea, 
and  the  mother  of  God  f  and  her  intercession  is  humbly 
implored,  that,  making  use  of  the  authority  of  a  mother, 
she  may  compel  her  son  to  receive  the  prayers  of  the 
petitioners.  It  seems  strange,  how  they  can  call  her  the 
Star  of  the  sea,  who,  as  far  as  we  know,  at  least,  never 
went  to  sea  in  her  life.  This  epithet  was  given  to 
Venus  by  some  of  the  ancient  Pagans  ;  and  who  knows 
that  it  was  not  in  imitation  of  them  that  the  same  is 
given  by  Papists  to  the  Virgin  ?     As  if  mistress  of  every 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  41 

favour,  she  is  also  entreated  to  mahe  them  chaste  and 
mild,  like  herself,  after  having  first  freed  them  from 
their  sins. 

The  prayers  to  the  other  saints,  in  which  the  novices 
are  instructed,  are  of  the  same  stamp  with  the  foregoing; 
all  derogating  from  the  honour  due  to  God  alone,  and 
bestowing  it  upon  his  creatures  ;  some  of  which,  though 
honoured  as  saints  in  this  world,  are  now,  perhaps, 
howling  in  the  regions  of  the  damned.  The  novices  are 
directed  to  have  particular  devotion  for  the  saints  of  their 
own  order,  especially  for  St.  Francis,  the  founder  of  it ; 
St.  Anthony  of  Padua,  St.  Crispin  of  Viterbo,  and  others 
of  this  class,  whose  merits  raised  them  to  the  honour  of 
beatification  or  canonization*  The  pictures  of  them 
are  hung  up  in  the  dormitories  and  corridors  of  the 
convent ;  and  each  monk,  whetlier  professed  or  not,  is 
expected,  whilst  passing  before  them,  to  bow  down  and 
kiss  their  frames  or  canvass. 

The  novices  are  also  taught,  by  their  master,  the  man- 
ner of  reciting  the  divine  office.  Officivm  divinum,  or 
the  canonical  hours,  is  a  certain  portion  of  the  Psalms  of 
David ;  some  hymns  in  honour  of  the  saints,  the  lives 
of  the  saints  themselves,  and  some  detached  portions  of 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  commanded  to  be  recited, 
under  pain  of  mortal  sin,  at  certain  stated  hours  of  the 
day,  by  every  Romish  ecclesiastic,  whether  secular  or 
regular,  and  by  every  professed  monk.  These  hours  are 
contained,  arranged  according  to  the  day  of  the  month, 

•  There  is  a  wide  difference  between  the  meaning  of  these  words, 
"  heatijication  and  canonization  .•"  the  former  simply  means,  that  the 
deceased  has  been  declared  "  happy,"  by  the  mouth  of  infallibility, 
the  pope ;  the  latter  refers  to  the  ceremony  of  his  making  his  public 
entry  into  paradise.  He  is  then  able  to  assist,  in  an  efficacious  way, 
those  who  implore  his  intercession  and  protection.  Whilst  simply 
beatified,  his  power  was  not  so  great.  Canonization  generally  takes 
place  fifty  years  after  beatification  ;  fifty  years  being  the  time  allowed 
the  beatified  man  or  woman  to  become  acquainted  with  Heaven,  and 
to  make  friends  there,  by  whose  favour  and  interest  he  or  she  may  be 
able  to  befriend  their  worshippers.  It  probably  takes  its  rise  from 
the  apotheosis,  or  deification,  of  the  ancient  Romans,  and  does  not 
yield  a  whit  to  it  in  absurdity. 

5* 


42  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

(a  saint's  name  being  affixed  to  every  day,)  and  fitted  up 
for  the  use  of  the  whole  year,  in  the  book,  called  "  Bre- 
viariwn,''*  or  the  breviary.  They  are  seven  in  number, 
having  obtained  that  division  on  account  of  the  ancient 
custom  of  reciting  them  at  seven  distinct  hours  of  the 
day  ;  though  now-a-days  they  are  generally  got  over  at 
one  sitting  by  secular  priests,  and  at  two  or  three  at 
farthest  by  regulars,  who  recite  them  together  in  choir. 
If  recited  at  once,  and  without  interruption,  they  would 
take  up  about  one  hour  every  day,  though  many  mumble 
them  over  in  less  than  that  time,  especially  those  who 
consider  them  a  burdensome  duty,  the  sooner  got  rid  of 
the  better.  Very  many  recite  them  through  habit,  with- 
out reflecting  upon,  or  even  understanding  the  meaning 
of  the  words ;  and  not  few  priests  may  be  found  who 
never  go  to  the  trouble  of  reciting  them  at  all,  although, 
according  to  moralists,  they  commit  a  mortal  sin  for 
every  time  they  neglect  them. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

Breviary — Its  unwilling  agency  in  leading  many  priests  to  the 
truth — Story  of  aTyrolese  monk — His  conversion — The  cause  of 
it — Remarks  upon  it  by  a  professor  of  theology — How  a  popish 
priest  may  commit  seven  mortal  sins  per  diem. 

The  ridiculous  stories  to  be  found  in  the  breviary  are 
evident  proofs  of  the  falling  off"  of  that  church,  (which 
ordains  it  to  be  used  as  a  prayer-book  by  her  clergy,) 
from  the  purity  and  simplicity  of  primitive  Christianity. 
The  metamorphoses  of  Ovid,  or  the  tales  of  the  fairies, 
are  not  half  so  marvellous  as  some  actions  and  miracles 

*  Breviatium  is  a  Latin  word,  seldom  used  by  classical  writers 
It  means  a  summary.  The  priests'  prayer-book  is  called  by  this 
name,  either  because  it  is  a  summary  of  all  Christian  duties,  (God 
help  us  !)  or  because  it  has  been  established  by  the  decrees  of  popes 
breve  meaning,  in  monkish  Latin,  a  decree  in  favour,  or  against,  a 
certain  individual  or  individuals,  wherein  it  differs  from  "  bulla," 
which  is  an  edict  directed  to  the  whole  Christian  world. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  43 

of  saints  related  in  it.  My  wonder  is,  that  the  church 
of  Rome,  so  political  and  cunning  in  her  general  con- 
duct, should  show  so  great  a  want  of  common  prudence, 
by  commanding  her  ministers  to  give  credence  to  the 
monstrous  absurdities  which  the  breviary  contains. 
Were  it  designed  for  the  laity,  there  would  be  little  cause 
for  wonder,  as  it  would  be  only  in  accordance  with  the 
other  doctrines,  fabricated  at  the  expense  of  truth  and 
genuine  Christianity,  which  are  daily  held  up  to  their 
belief;  but  that  the  agents,  makers  themselves  of  a  cor- 
rupt system,  should  be  required  to  believe  in  what  they 
know  to  be  completely  false,  is  pushing  their  obedience 
a  little  too  far.  The  breviary,  however  strange  as  it 
may  appear,  has  been  the  unwilling  means  of  drawing 
many  souls  to  the  life-giving  truth,  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 
Many  priests  who  are  ordained,  firmly  believing  in  the 
truth  of  the  Romish  church,  soon  become  disgusted  with 
the  fables  contained  in  this,  the  priest's  prayer-book ; 
and  having  found  comfort  in  the  detached  and  mutilated 
scraps  of  Scripture,  scattered,  here  and  there  through  it, 
they  are  excited  to  examine  the  whole  Bible  more  dili- 
gently, whence  they  are  sure  to  derive  a  consolation 
which  the  breviary  never  can  bestow.  A  striking  in- 
stance of  this  fell  under  my  own  observation  a  few  years 
before,  through  God's  mercy,  I  shook  off  the  yoke  of 
popish  bondage.  As  it  seems  connected  with  my  pre- 
sent subject,  it  will  not  be  amiss  to  relate  it. 

A  young  Tyrolese  studied  at  the  same  convent  with 
me  at  Rome.  He  was  distinguished  for  talents  supe- 
rior to  those  of  many  of  his  fellow  students,  and  was 
very  early  marked  out  by  the  superiors  of  the  order,  as 
one  likely  to  be  of  use  in  founding  convents,  and  propa- 
gating the  Romish  tenets  in  his  own  country.  A  close 
friendship  existed  between  him  and  me ;  and,  having 
opportunities  of  observing  him,  which  he  was  cautious 
in  affording  to  any  one  else,  on  going  into  his  room,  I 
often  found  him  comparing  Deodati's  Italian  translation 
of  the  Scriptures  with  the  Latin  Vulgate.  How  he  came 
by  the  former  I  do  not  now  recollect,  or  perhaps  he  never 
told  me.     Hft  knew  very  well  that  Deodati's  Bible  was 


44  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

prohibited,  and  therefore  he  kept  it  under  a  tile,  which  he 
could  raise  up  and  lay  down  in  the  pavement  of  his  room.* 
He  had  no  fear  that  I  would  betray  him,  for  he  well  knew 
that  I  was  at  that  time  a  Christian  only  in  outward  appear- 
ance, and  a  secret  scofier  of  Christianity  in  general,  and 
at  monkish  Christianity  in  particular.  I  made  no  secret 
of  my  opinions  to  him,  believing  him  to  be  of  the  same 
mind.  I  observed,  however,  that  he  was  growing  every 
day  more  serious,  and  less  inclined  to  join  me  in  my 
remarks  on  the  Christian  religion,  though  he  had  the 
same  indifference  as  formerly  for  the  rites  and  ceremo- 
nies in  which  his  station  obliged  him  to  join.  The 
cause  of  this  change  I  could  not  then  guess  ;  but  it  after- 
wards became  manifest,  when,  after  being  ordained 
priest,  he  was  sent  by  the  Propaganda  Fidet  a  missionary 
to  Rhezia.  He  had  not  been  absent  more  than  four 
months,  when  he  wrote  to  the  general  of  the  Capuchins, 
requesting  that  he  should  consider  him  no  longer  as  one 
of  his  subjects,  and  acquainting  him  with  his  having  em- 
braced, through  conviction,  the  reformed  religion  in  one  of 
the  Protestant  cantons  of  Switzerland.  He  said  that  the 
stories  of  the  breviary  first  led  him  to  doubt  of  the  truth  of 
popery,  and  by  degrees  precipitated  him  into  infidelity; 

*  Those  who  have  been  in  either  France  or  Italy,  can  easily  con- 
ceive how  a  tile  could  be  raised  up  from  the  pavement  of  a  room ; 
but,  for  the  information  of  such  as  have  not,  it  may  be  necessary  to 
add,  that  rooms  are  very  seldom  boarded  in  these  countries,  bricks 
and  tiles  being  used  for  flooring  instead,  even  in  the  highest  stories 
of  houses. 

■}■  A  college  at  Rome,  expressly  designed  for  the  education  of  mis- 
sionaries. There  are  in  it  students  from  almost  every  part  of  the 
known  world,  prepared,  vi  et  armis,  if  preaching  will  not  do,  to 
disseminate  the  soul-destroying  doctrines  of  popery  through  what- 
ever part  of  the  world  they  may  be  sent  to.  So  devoted  are  they  to 
the  pope,  that  they  are  called,  through  contempt  by  the  other  eccle- 
siastics, "guastatori  deWarmata  del  papa,"  (the  pioneers  of  the 
pope's  army.)  A-  high  dignitary  of  the  Romish  church,  in  this  city, 
(Philadelphia,)  is  a  sapling  raised  in  this  fruitful  hot-bed  of  false 
religion.  I  wish  Protestants  would  imitate  Rome  in  establishing 
such  another  institution,  to  counteract  the  evil  effects  naturally  to  be 
expected  from  having  popery  instead  of  Christianity  preached  to 
Bouls  panting  after  the  waters  of  life. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  45 

that  he  found  comfort  in  reading  some  portions  of  the 
Scriptures,  scattered  through  it ;  and  that  from  reading  a 
part,  he  was  induced  to  read  the  whole,  which  ended  in 
his  again  embracing  Christianity  under  a  purer  form  than 
that  of  the  church  of  Rome.  His  change,  and  the 
reasons  for  it,  I  learned  from  the  professor  of  theology, 
to  whom  it  was  communicated  by  the  general,  that  he 
might  warn  his  other  students  to  beware  of  the  fatal 
effects  of  doubting  of  the  truth  of  the  infallible  church 
of  Rome.  The  professor,  in  endeavouring  to  show  the 
futility  of  the  reasons  which  induced  him  to  embrace  the 
reformed  church,  was  obliged  to  declare  first,  what  these 
reasons  were  ;  and,  after  a  long  comment  upon  them,  he 
wound  up  his  arguments  by  attributing  the  change  to  the 
temptation  of  the  d — 1,  who  will  certainly  possess  him 
hereafter,  added  he  charitably  enough,  if  he  continue  a 
heretic. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  that  all  priests,  who  are  led 
into  infidelity  by  the  fables  of  the  breviary,  are  so  fortu- 
nate as  to  search  the  Scriptures  for  light,  like  my  Tyro- 
lese  friend.  The  greater  part  of  them,  after  having  dis- 
covered the  fallibiUty  and  monstrous  absurdities  of  the 
church,  which  claims  for  herself  alone  the  title  of 
"zn/aZ/z6/e,'l  judge  of  all  other  churches  by  the  same 
standard,  and  imagine  that  all  and  every  doctrine  of 
Christianity  are  so  many  cunningly  devised  fables,  invent- 
ed by  a  certain  class  of  men  to  answer  their  own  private 
ends.  They  do  not,  however,  on  this  account,  cease 
from  teaching  and  preaching  the  popish  doctrines  to  all 
those,  over  whom  they  have  acquired  influence  ;  but  on 
the  contrary  they  seem,  judging  from  outward  appear- 
ance, to  be  most  firm  believers  in  them,  and  become  their 
most  zealous  defenders  accordingly.  Having  embraced 
the  priesthood  as  a  profession,  they  are  determined  to  get 
a  subsistence  by  it,  and  being  well  aware,  that  the  greater 
the  darkness  and  ignorance  of  the  people,  the  greater  will 
be  the  respect  attached  to  their  own  persons,  and  conse- 
quently the  greater  also  their  emoluments  :  they  therefore 
zealously  propagate  the  Romish  tenets,  and  conform 
themselves   outwardly  to  the  practice  of  them.     Their 


46  SIX  YEARS   IN  THE 

chief  care  is  to  increase  the  reign  of  ignorance  and  su- 
perstition by  a  few  well-told  tales  taken  from  the  brevi- 
ary, or  from  some  other  saint-book  ;  exciting  thereby  the 
devotion  of  the  people,  and  creating  a  most  furious  belief 
in  the  most  absurd  doctrines.  By  this  manner  of  acting, 
they  find  themselves  the  gainers,  and  in  process  of  time, 
the  long  habit  of  deceiving  others  ends  at  last  in  deceiv- 
ing themselves,  and  though  scarcely  believing  in  the  first 
principles  of  Christianity,  they  flatter  themselves  into  a 
belief  of  being  very  good  Christians.  Such  is  human 
delusion,  and  such  are  the  evil  effects  necessarily  flowing 
from  popish  doctrines ! 

It  may  be  thought  by  many,  th^tl  am  inventing  stories 
for  the  purpose  of  heaping  odium  on  the  church  of  Rome, 
"whilst  relating  some  of  the  ridiculous  tales  extracted  from 
the  breviary  ;  but  as  the  book  is  still  extant,  and  to  be 
found  inthe  hands,  or  at  least  on  the  book-shelf,*  of  every 
popish  priest  in  this  country,  those  who  doubt  the  au- 
thenticity of  my  extracts,  are  invited  to  examine  for 
themselves.  Indeed  the  doubt  of  their  authenticity  is 
perfectly  reasonable,  for  the  judicious  mind  can  hardly 
conceive  it  possible,  that  such  a  farrago  of  absurdities 
could  be  oflTered  to  the  belief  of  any  one  possessed  of  the 
powers  of  reason.  But  as  the  actual  existence  of  those 
absurdities  includes  also  their  possibility,  I  have  nothing 
more  to  do  than  give  them  as  they  are. 

*  Very  many  priests  keep  it  only  to  save  appearances,  as  a  book 
which  they  are  supposed  to  be  never  without,  though  they  never  open 
it  unless  in  the  presence  of  others;  thereby,  according  to  some  of 
their  own  morahsts,  committing  one  mortal  sin  for  every  day 
they  neglect  to  recite  the  canonical  hours  from  it ;  and  according  to 
others,  committing  a  mortal  sin  for  every  one  of  the  liours  not  recited, 
which,  the  canonical  hours  being  seven,  make  seve?i  mortal  sins  per 
diem — a  good  round  number  in  a  year !  How  many  then  in  a  long 
lifel 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC  47 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Design  of  the  Breviary— Pius  V.'s  bull— Extract  from  it— Marcellua 
— Life  of  Gregory  the  Great — His  works — Life  of  Leo  L — His 
great  exploits — Remarks  thereon — Nunneries  of  Tuscany. 

The  first  and  leading  feature  of  the  breviary  is  its  ten- 
dency to  extol  and  confirm  the  usurped  ^authority  of  the 
Bishop  of  Rome.  It  begins  with  the  bull  of  a  pope  con- 
firming its  contents  and  anathematizing  any  one — (God 
help  me  and  all  Protestants,  if  the  pope's  anathema  be 
any  injury  !) — who  would  have  the  boldness  to  call  in 
question  any  thing  contained  in  it,  or  who  would  dare 
substitute  any  other  book  in  its  place.  Thus  the  breviary 
published  immediately  after  the  council  of  Trent  by 
command  of  Pius  V.,  is  fortified  with  a  btill  from  that 
pope,  beginning  with  the  words  "  Quod  a  nobis,"*  in 
which  complaint  is  made,  that  the  former  breviaries  had 
been  corrupted  in  several  places,  and  that  the  clergy  were 
accustomed  to  shorten,  by  their  own  authority,  the  offices 
of  the  saints,  in  order  to  spend  less  time  in  reciting  them. 
It  then  goes  on  to  command,  that  from  and  after  the  pub- 
lication of  this  bull,  the  breviary,  of  which  it  is  a  con- 
firmation, should  be  used  throughout  the  whole  Christian 
world,  and  that  all  other  breviaries  published  anterior  to 
it  should  be  considered  as  abolished  and  prohibited.  It 
also  ordains,  that  the  breviary  in  question  should  not  be 
printed  in  any  other  part  of  the  world  than  Rome,t  with- 
out express  leave  from  the  pope  himself.     All  the  fore- 

*  The  bulls  of  popes  are  generally  called  from  the  words  they  begin 
with  :  thus  the  bull  by  which  Clement  XL  condemned  the  Jansenists, 
is  called  the  bull  "  Unigenitus"  from  its  beginning  with  the  words 
"  Unigenitus  Dei  filius." 

f  This  clause  is  manifestly  intended  for  the  purpose  of  drawing 
money  into  the  pope's  treasury  ;  as  it  may  be  supposed,  that  leave  to 
print  the  breviary  in  Paris,  and  in  other  Roman  Catholic  countries, 
would  not  be  granted  unless  well  paid  for.  There  is  in  the  Phila- 
delphia Library  an  edition  of  Pius  V.'s  breviary  printed  at  Paris. 


48  SIX   YEARS   IN   THE 

going  articles  are  ordered  to  be  observed  strictly,  under 
pain  of  excommunication — the  usual  threat  for  enforcing 
the  pope's  commands.  The  original  words  are :  "  Sed 
ut  breviarium  ip^um  ubique  inviolatum  et  incorruptum 
habeatur,  prohibemus,  ne  alibi  usquam  (praeter  Romae, 

scil.)  in  toto  orbe  sine  nostra expressa  licen- 

tia  imprimatur  vel  recipiatur.  Quoscunque,  qui  illud 
secus  impresserint,  vel  receperint,  excommunicationis 
sententia  eo  ipso  innodamus."  The  concluding  words 
of  this  bull  are  so  remarkable,  that,  although  they  do  not 
strictly  belong  to  the  present  subject,  I  cannot  refrain 
from  copying  them,  especially  as  the  same,  with  very 
little  alteration,  are  the  concluding  words  of  all  bulls 
promulgated  by  the  authority  of  the  purple  tyrant.  They 
fnlly  show  forth  the  arrogant  pretensions  and  overbearing 
policy  of  that  church,  which  claims  for  itself  alone  an 
unlimited  power  over  the  souls  and  bodies  of  God's 
people,  and  which  power  it  does  not  actually  exercise  to 
the  destruction  and  downfall  of  pure  Christianity,  and  of 
every  principle  that  ennobles  man's  nature,  only  through 
inability  to  enforce  it.  The  words  are  the  following : 
"  NuUi  ergo  omnino  hominum  liceat  banc  paginam  nos- 
trse  ablationis,  et  abolitionis,  permissionis,  revocationis, 
praecepti,  mandati,  decreti,  prohibitionis,  cohortationis,  vo- 
luntatis infringere,  vel  ei  ausu  tenierario  contraire.  Si  quis 
autem  attentare  praesumpserit,  indignationem  omnipotentis 
Dei,  ac  beatorum  Petri  et  Pauli,  apostolqrum  ejus  se  no- 
verit  incursurum.  Dat.  Romae  apud  Sanctum  Petrum, 
anno  incarnationis  Dominicae  MDLXVIII.  Sep.  Idus 
lul.  Pontificatus  nostri,  anno  tertio."  ("  Let  not  any  one 
therefore  break  through,  or  go  against  this  our  page  of 
abolition,  ablation,  (of  the  former  breviaries,)  revocation, 
precept,  command,  decree,  prohibition,  exhortation,  and 
will ;  or  dare  act  contrary  to  it.  But  if  any  one  dare 
attempt  to  do  so,  he  may  be  sure  of  incurring  the  in- 
dignation of  Almighty  God,  and  df  his  blessed  apos- 
tles, Peter  and  Paul.  Dated  at  Rome  from  St.  Peter's  in 
the  year  of  the  Lord's  incarnation,  1568,  on  the  seventh 
of  the  Ides  of  July,  and  in  the  third  year  of  our  pontifi 
cate." 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  49 

The  life  of  every  pope,  from  the  first  to  the  beginning 
of  the  fifth  century,  is  fraught  with  fables  of  their  sanc- 
tity and  supremacy  ;  and  of  the  many  miracles  performed 
by  them  in  defending  and  upholding  the  religion  of  Christ 
among  the  Pagans  of  the  day.  Their  supremacy  espe- 
cially, and  the  acknowledgment  of  it  by  the  laity  and 
clergy  of  the  primitive  church,  are  things  more  particu- 
larly dwelt  upon.  Out  of  a  great  many  stories  of  this 
kind,  I  will  select  a  kw,  which,  to  avoid  all  suspicion 
of  fiction,  must  be  given  in  the  language  of  the  breviary — 
the  Latin.  The  translation  is  annexed  for  the  use  of 
those  not  acquainted  with  that  language. 

In  the  life  of  Marcellus,  pope  and  martyr,  whose  festi- 
val is  celebrated  by  the  church  of  Rome,  on  the  15th  of 
January,  we  are  told  that  he  performed  the  office  of  high 
priest,  or  pope,  during  the  reign  of  Constantius  and  Ga- 
lerius  ;  that,  by  his  advice,  two  Roman  matrons  bestowed 
their  riches  (a  broad  hint  to  modern  Roman  women)  on 
the  church ;  the  one,  named  Priscilla,  having  built  a 
cemetery  for  the  use  of  the  Christians ;  the  other,  called 
Lucina,  having  bequeathed  all  her  wealth  to  the  disposal 
of  the  church,  without  specifying  any  particular  object. 
We  are  further  informed,  that  the  holy  pontiff  wrote  an 
epistle  to  the  bishops  of  the  province  of  Antioch,  in  which 
he  claims  the  primacy  for  the  church  at  Rome,  and  in 
•which  he  evidently  proves  to  demonstration,  tliat  that 
church  should  be  called  the  head  of  all  other  churches. 
We  are  told,  that  in  the  same  epistle  there  can  be  found 
written  these  words  : — "  No  council  can  be  lawfully 
assembled  nor  celebrated  without  the  authority  of  the 
supreme  pontiff.'"*     The  original  Latin  is  as  follows  : 

*  Summus  Pontifex,  or  Pontifex  Maximus,  was  an  officer  in  pagan 
Rome,  who  had  the  direction  of  the  sacrifices  and  ceremonies  ap- 
pointed to  be  performed  in  honour  of  the  gods.  It  was  his  duty  alsa 
to  go  through  the  ceremonies  of  augury.  The  modern  Christiaii 
Romans,  imitating  their  pagan  ancestors  in  this  as  well  as  many 
other  things,  call  the  bishop  of  their  city  "  Pontifex  Maximus,"  or  in 
Italian  "  Summo  Pontefice."  It  is  a  remarkable  coincidence,  that  the 
same  name  is  given  by  the  Tartars  to  their  Grand  Lama,  who  is 
adored  and  worshipped  by  them  in  the  same  way  as  the  pope  is  by 
Romanists. 

6 


50  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

Marcellus  Romanus  a  Constantio  et  Galerio  usque  ad 
Maxenlium  pontificatum  gessit ;  cujus  hortatu  duae  ma- 
tronae  Romanae,  Priscilla  cosmeterium  suis  sumptibus 
,  .  .  .  edificandum   curavit ;    Lucina   bononim   suorura 

Dei  ecclesiam  fecit  hseredem Scripsit  episto- 

1am  ad  episcopos  Antiochenae  provinciae  de  priraatu  Ro- 
mance ecclesiag,  quam  caput  ecclesiarum  appellandam 
demonstrat.  Ubi  etiam  illud  scriptum  est,  "  nullum  con- 
cilium jure  celebrari,  nisi  ex  auctoritate  summi  pontifi- 
cis." 

The  foregoing  story  is  probably  intended  to  show  forth 
the  authority  of  bishops  of  Rome  in  the  first  ages  of  the 
church.  By  Marcellus  being  represented  to  have  per- 
suaded two  Roman  matrons  to  leave  their  property  at  the 
disposal  of  the  church,  it  is  hinted,  that  those  who  act 
so,  are  doing  something  meritorious  in  the  sight  of  God  ; 
and  that  such  actions  should  be  more  frequently  imitated 
in  modern  times.  His  writing  an  epistle  to  the  bisliop 
of  Antioch  and  his  suffragans,  claiming  primacy  for  the 
church  at  Rome,  and  endeavouring  to  prove  that  this 
church  is  the  head  of  all  other  churches,  is  nothing  else 
than  making  him  arrogate  to  himself  and  his  church  an 
authority,  which,  it  may  be  supposed,  he  never  once 
thought  upon  ;  papal  supremacy  being  evidently  the  in- 
vention of  later  years. 

The  next  life  we  give  an  extract  from,  is  that  of  Gre- 
gory the  First.  In  him,  a  pope  is  held  up  as  an  example 
of  humility,  charity,  and  learning.  Fearing  to  be  elected 
to  the  popedom,  he  hid  himself  in  a  cave  ;  but  being 
discovered  by  means  of  a  pillar  of  fire,  indicating  the 
place  in  which  he  lay  hid,  much  against  his  will,  he  is 
conducted  to  St.  Peter's,  and  there  consecrated.  He 
invited  to  his  table  daily  a  number  of  pilgrims,  and  once 
had  the  happiness  to  receive,  as  his  guests,  an  angel,  and 
the  Lord  of  angels,  disguised  as  pilgrims.  He  restored 
the  Catholic  faith,  which  was  declining  in  many  places. 
He  repressed  the  boldness  of  John,  Patriarch  of  Con.' 
stantinople,  who  arrogated  to  himself  the  title  of  nni- 
versal  bishop.  He  turned  away  from  his  purpose  the 
Emperor  Mauritius,  who  wished  to  hinder   those  that 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  51 

were  formerly  soldiers  from  becoming  monks.  He  wrote 
many  books,  which,  whilst  dictating,  Peter,  the  deacon, 
often  saw  the  Holy  Ghost  over  his  head  in  the  form  of  a 
dove.  Truly  admirable  were  the  things  which  he  said, 
which  he  did,  which  he  wrote,  and  which  he  decreed. 
Having  performed  many  miracles,  he  was  at  length  called 
to  heavenly  happiness  ;  and  the  day  on  which  he  died 
is  observed  as  a  festival  even  by  the  Greeks,  on  account 
of  the  eminent  sanctity  of  so  great  a  pontiff.     (Gregorius 

Magnus, honorem  (pontificatus)  ne   acciperet, 

quamdiu  potuit,  recusavit :  nam  alieno  vestitu  in  spelunca 
dilituit,  ubi  deprehensus  igneae  columnae  indicio,  ad  Sanc- 
tum Petrum  consecratur.  Perigrinos  quotidie  ad  mensam 
adhibuit,  in  quibus  et  angelum,  et  angelorum  dominum 
perigrini  facie  accepit.  Catholicam  fidem  multis  locis 
labefactatam  restituit.  Joannis  Patriarchse  Constantino- 
politanae  ecclesiee  audaciam  fregit,  qui  sibi  universalis 
ecclesioe  episcopi  nomen  arrogabat.  Mauritium  impera- 
torem  hos,  qui  milites  fuerunt,  monachos  fieri  prohiben- 
tem  a  sententia  deterruit.  Multos  libros  confecit,  quos 
cum  dictarat,  testatur  Petrus  Diaconus,  se  spiritum  sanc- 
tum columbae  specie  in  ejus  capite  saspe  vidisse.     Admi- 

rabilia  sunt,   quas  dixit,  fecit,  scripsit,  decrevit 

Qui  denique,  multis  editis  miraculis,  quarto  Idus  Martii, 
qui  dies  festus  a  Grsecis  etiam  propter  insignem  hujus 
pontificis  sanctitatem  pra;cipuo  honore  celebratur,  ad 
cselestem  beatitudinem  evocatus  est.) 

The  life  of  Gregory,  as  it  stands  in  the  breviary,  for 
there  are  related  various  lives  of  the  same  pope,  differing 
from  one  another  as  much  as  popery  differs  from  pure 
Christianity,  is  intended  to  set  forth  tft  the  world  an  ex- 
ample of  a  pope,  humble,  charitable,  and  learned.  His 
humility  in  refusing  the  popedom,  and  his  charity  in 
relieving  the  wants  of  pilgrims,  and  in  inviting  them  to 
his  own  table,  are  worthy  of  admiration,  if  true,  and 
worthy  of  imitation  by  his  successors.  The  fable  of  his 
having  entertained  at  his  table  an  angel,  and  the  Lord  of 
angels,  carries  with  it  its  own  refutation,  as  does  also  the 
attestation  of  Peter,  the  deacon,  who  swore  that  he  often 
saw  a  dove,  i.  e.  the  Holy  Ghost,  inspiring  him  whilst 


52  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

he  dictated  his  works — works,  too,  which,  taking  them 
in  general,  would  do  very  little  honour  to  a  man  of  sense 
and  talents,  relying  on  his  own  natural  genius.  How 
must  they  then  derogate  from  the  honour  of  the  Deity, 
when  attributed  to  the  Holy  Ghost?  The  papal  su- 
premacy is  never  lost  sight  of;  it  is  never  omitted  to  be 
brought  before  the  mind  of  the  reader  of  the  breviary, 
whenever  an  opportunity  presents.  For  the  sake  of  up- 
holding that*  supremacy,  every  thing  having  the  appear- 
ance ,of  an  argument  in  its  favour  is  brought  forward. 
Thus,  Gregory  breaks  the  boldness  (such  is  the  literal 
translation  of  the  Latin  word  "  frangere")  of  another,  his 
equal  in  dignity,  who  assumes  the  title  of  "universal 
bishop."  From  this  we  are  led  to  infer,  that  to  the 
Bishop  of  Rome  alone  such  a  title  belongs.  For  the 
many  wonderful  things  which  he  did  and  said,  I  fear  the 
world  now-a-days  have  not  that  respect  which  in  the 
opinion  of  some  they  deserve.  No,  thank  God  and  the 
Bible,  the  world  is  growing  daily  too  wise  to  be  duped 
any  longer  by  lying  wonders. 

The  life  of  Leo  L  is  another  proof  that  the  sole  desire, 
indeed  the  chief  end  of  the  breviary,  is  the  exalting  of 
popes  above  their  fellow  man.  "We  will  relate  it  as  it 
stands  in  the  breviary. 

Leo  the  First,  by  birth  a  Tuscan,  governed  the  church 
of  God  at  the  time  that  Attila,  King  of  the  Huns,  sur- 
named  "the  scourge  of  God,"  invaded  Italy,  and,  after 
a  siege  of  three  years,  plundered,  and  afterwards  set  fire 
to  the  city  of  Aquila.  He  was  already  preparing  to  pass 
the  Mincius  with  his  army,  in  order  to  attack  Rome  itself, 
when  Leo  went  m  meet  him,  and  persuaded  him,  by  his 
divine  eloquence,  to  lay  aside  his  purpose.  Attila,  being 
afterwards  asked  by  his  followers,  "  for  what  reason, 
contrary  to  his  uusual  custom,  he  had  so  humbly  obeyed 
the  commands  of  the  pontiff?"  made  answer,  "  that  he 
feared  a  supernatural  being,  dressed  in  the  habit  of  a 
priest,  who  threatened  him  with  instant  death  if  he  dared 
resist  the  commands  of  Leo."  Among  others  of  his  holy 
statutes,  there  is  to  be  found  one  by  which  it  is  decreed, 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  53 

that  no  nun  in  future  should  receive  a  blessed  covering  for 
her  head  unless  she  could  prove  forty  years  of  virginity. 
(Leo  Primus,  Etruscus,  eo  tempore  praefuit  ecclesiae  cum 
rex  Hunnorum  Attila,  cognomento  flagellum  Dei,  in 
Italiam  invadens,  Aqueleiam  triennii  obsidione  captam 
diripuisset,  incendit ;  unde  cum  Roman  ardenti  furore 
raperetur,  jamque  copias,  ubi  Mincius  in  Padum  influit, 
trajicere  pararet,  occurrit  ei  Leo,  malorum  Italiae  miseri- 
cordia  permotus,  cujus  divina.  eloquentia  persuasum  est 
Attilae,  ut  regrederetur,  qui  interrogatus  asuis,  quid  esset, 
quod  praeter  consuetudinem  tam  humiliter  Romani  pon- 
tificis  imperata  faceret,  respondit,  se  stantem  alium,  illo 
loquente,    sacerdotali   habitu   veritum    esse,   sibi   stricto 

gladio  minitantem  mortem,  nisi  Leoni  obtemperaret 

Statuit,  (Leo)  et  sanxit,  ne  monacha  benedictum  capitis 
velum  reciperet,  nisi  quadriginta  annorum  virginitatem 
probasset.) 

Leo,  surnamed  the  Great,  is  ushered  into  our  notice, 
under  the  usual  title  of  governor  of  the  church,  (rexit 
ecclesiam,)  in  order  to  make  us  believe  that  on  him  alone, 
and,  consequently,  on  his  successors  in  the  Roman  see, 
devolves  all  ecclesiastical  government.  He  is  represented 
as  compassionating  the  forlorn  state  of  Italy,  ravaged  by 
the  conquering  Hunn,  and  fearlessly  going  forth  to  meet 
him,  and  exerting  his  divine  eloquence  in  order  to  turn 
him  from  his  design  of  invading  Rome.  But  why  did 
Attila  obey  his  commands  ?  for  what  were  but  entreaties 
in  the  beginning,  are,  under  the  magical  hands  of  the 
compilers  of  the  breviary,  transformed  into  commands 
(imperata)  in  the  very  next  sentence.  Because  he  feared 
death,  which  St.  Peter,  who  is  intended  by  the  super- 
natural appearance  of  the  person  in  the  habit  of  a  priest, 
and  with  a  drawn  sword  in  his  hand,  threatened  him  with, 
unless  he  obeyed  the  pontiff.  What  other  good  or  glori- 
ous thing  did  he  perform,  in  order  to  justly  deserve  the 
surname  oi  great?  Why,  he  ordained  that  nuns  should 
prove  forty  years'  virginity  before  that  the  veils,  which 
they  wore  on  their  heads,  would  be  sprinkled  with  holy 
water !     A  truly  great  edict,  and  well  worthy  of  a  pope. 


54  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

This  is  also  an  indirect  way  of  holding  up  to  public  ad- 
miration the  detestable  system  of  secluding  females  in 
nunneries,  and  of  extolling  virginity  as  the  greatest  of  all 
virtues.  Human  nature,  and  nuns  too,  must  have  been 
very  different  in  the  time  of  Leo  from  what  they  are  now- 
a-days,  or  few,  very  few  nuns  obtained  the  honour  of  a 
blessed  veil.* 


CHAPTER  X. 

Continuation  of  extracts  from  the  Breviary — Marcellinus — The  pope 
sacrifices  to  idols — Why  he  could  not  be  judged  by  the  church — 
Infallibility,  a  species  of  impeccability — John — The  testimony  of  a 
horse  in  favour  of  his  claims — Remarks  thereon — A  sample  of 
Gregory  the  Great's  works — Review  of  the  Bishop  of  Rome's  claim 
to  supremacy — Never  acknowledged  by  the  Greek  church — Unin- 
terrupted succession — Imaginary  popes  manufactured. 

Not  to  weary  the  reader  too  much,  I  will  give  in  my 
own  words,  without  adhering,  as  I  have  done  hitherto,  to 
the  letter  of  the  breviary,  extracts  from  the  lives  of  two 
popes  more — saints,  to  be  sure,  as  popes  always  are. 

Marcellinus,  who  lived  in  the  reign  of  Dioclesiap 
having  sacrificed  to  idols,  and  repenting  of  his  apostasy 
afterward,  presented  himself  before  an  assembly  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty  bishops,  in  order  to  ask  pardon  of  the 
church  for  the  scandal  he  had  given,  and  to  receive  the 

*  Scipio  Ricci,  Bishop  of  Pistoja,  in  Tuscany,  has  had  the  honesty 
to  give  the  world  a  view  of  the  private  life  of  nuns.  His  description 
of  the  vices  and  immorahties  practised  in  the  Dominican  nunnery 
of  Sienna,  better  known  by  the  name  of  "  Santa  Catarina,"  (St. 
Catharine's,)  would  not  bear  recital.  The  smaller  nunneries  of  his 
ovm  diocess  (Pistoja)  were  equally  sunk  in  impiety,  and  unnameable 
vices.  His  testimony  cannot  be  suspected  ;  for  it  was  in  the  exercise 
of  his  visitatorial  office,  to  which  he  was  appointed  by  the  court 
of  Rome,  that  he  made  the  discoveries  (which,  by-the-way,  were 
only  a  confirmation  of  his  former  suspicions)  above  alluded  to.  His 
work  "  on  Nunneries"  has  been  translated  into  English,  and  printed 
in  London  some  few  years  back.  I  am  not  aware  that  it  has  been 
reprinted  as  yet  in  Amenca. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  55 

usual  penance.*  The  whole  assembly  unanimously  cried 
out,  when  made  acquainted  with  the  object  of  its  convoca- 
tion, "  that  it  had  no  authority  to  judge  him,  for  the  supreme 
pastor  cannot  be  judged  by  an  earthly  tribunal" — "  Nam 
prima  sedes  a  nemine  judicatur."  Now,  the  question  na- 
turally arises,  had  Marcellinus  the  attribute  of  infallibility 
attached  to  his  person,  or  even  to  his  office,  when  he  scan- 
dalized the  church  by  sacrificing  to  idols  ?  The  answer  is 
plain,  nor  is  the  difficulty  easily  got  over  by  the  advocates 
of  papal  infallibility,  though  they  endeavour  to  shelter  them- 
selves under  a  covering  of  metaphysical  distinctions,  such 
as  "  loquens  vel  agens  ex  cathedra,  aut  non  ex  cathedra." 
(Speaking  or  acting  from  his  chair  of  office,  or  not  from 
his  chair.t)  In  this  erring  pope,  however,  the  claim  of 
supremacy  is  not  forgotten,  for  the  synod  is  represented 
by  the  breviary,  crying  out  with  one  accord,  "  that  it  had 

*  It  was  customary  in  the  ancient  church  to  make  public  sinners 
do  public  penance  in  presence  of  the  congregation,  on  certain  days 
appointed  for  that  purpose.  Among  the  pubUe  sinners  were  classed 
those,  who,  either  through  weakness  or  fear  of  torture,  had  sacrificed 
to  idols. 

f  The  pope  is  said  to  be  infallible,  when  he  establishes  any  article 
of  faith  necessary  to  be  believed  by  the  whole  church,  or  when  he  per- 
forms any  public  act  which  the  faithful  cannot  sin  by  imitating.  If 
he  should,  as  many  popes  have  done,  fall  into  error  and  heresy,  the 
difficulty  is  got  over  by  distinguishing  between  his  public  and  private 
character :  as  a  man,  he  can  err ;  as  a  pope,  he  can  never  err.  In 
the  case  of  Pope  Marcellinus,  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  he  acted  in  a 
public  capacity  whilst  sacrificing  to  idols  ;  and  thereby  established  the 
lawfulness  of  idol-worship.  Where  then  is  that  boasted  infallibility, 
or  was  it  even  thought  upon  in  the  ages  of  the  primitive  church  1 
We  have  on  record  various  popes  who  erred  in  articles  of  faith — es- 
sential articles  too,  and  who  are  excused  in  the  way  mentioned  above, 
or  by  making  an  appeal  to  the  weakness  of  human  nature.  But  they 
are  not  to  be  censured  so  much  for  their  errors,  as  for  claiming  to  be 
superior  to  error,  or  above  it — in  fine,  for  claiming  as  their  due,  an 
attribute  belonging  to  God  alone — a  species  of  impeccability.  The 
scandalous  lives  of  some  popes  aie  too  well  known  to  need  any  com- 
ment.. The  names  of  Alexander  VI.  and  John  XXII.  will  go  down 
to  the  latest  posterity,  linked  with  the  names  of  Nero,  Eobespierre, 
and  Henry  VIII.  of  England,  or  with  some  other  names  rendered 
immortal  by  tyranny,  cruelty,  lust,  and  debauchery.  What  worthy 
representatives  of  Christ ! 


56  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

no  power  to  judge  or  give  the  usual  penance  to  the  Vicar 
of  Christ."  What  an  unblushing  disregard  for  truth  is 
here  apparent  in  the  compilers  of  the  breviary  !  What 
an  anachronism  !  The  title  of  "  Vicar  of  Christ"  or  that 
of  "  Supreme  Pastor"  was  never  given  to  the  Bishop  of 
Rome,  or  acknowledged  by  any  portion  of  the  Christian 
church,  till  many  centuries  after  ;  that  is,  until  the  Church 
of  Rome  obtained  temporal  dominion,  and  resolved  to 
use  it  in  forcing  her  subjects  to  acknowledge  whatever 
claim  her  bishop  might  think  proper  to  assume.  This 
is  a  fact  well  known  to  every  reader  of  ecclesiastical 
history. 

The  following,  which  shall  be  the  last  extract  relating 
to  popes,  has  in  it  something  so  ridiculous,  and  at  the 
same  time  sets  forth  in  so  strong  a  light  the  pitiable  con- 
trivances of  the  defenders  of  a  false  religion,  and  their 
monstrous  deviations  from  truth,  that  I  cannot  refrain  from 
mentioning  it,  though  at  the  hazard  of  being  thought 
wearisome.     It  is  taken  from  the  life  of  John  I. 

John,  by  birth  a  Tuscan,  ruled  the  church  in  the  reign 
of  Justin  the  Elder.  He  was  obliged  to  flee  from  Rome 
on  account  of  the  persecutions  of  Theodoric,  a  heretical 
king,  and  take  refuge  in  Constantinople  at  the  court  of 
the  emperor.  His  journey  to  the  latter  capital  was  re- 
markable for  miracles,  and  for  the  singular  testimony 
which  one  of  the  brute  creation  bore  to  his  really  being 
the  Vicar  of  Christ.  The  circumstances  connected  with 
the  brute's  testimony  are  the  following :  the  pope  bor- 
rowed a  horse  from  a  certain  nobleman,  to  carry  him 
a  part  of  the  way,  which  horse,  on  account  of  its  tame- 
ness  and  gentleness,  was  set  apart  for  the  sole  use  of  the 
nobleman's  wife.  On  its  being  returned  to  the  owner, 
the  lady,  of  course,  attempted  to  use  it  as  formerly,  but, 
mirabile  dictu,  the  horse,  from  being  so  gentle  and  tame 
before,  became  on  a  sudden  wild  and  restive,  and  more 
especially  so,  whenever  the  lady  approached  for  the  pur- 
pose of  getting  on  its  back  ;  the  animal  scorning  (says 
the  breviary)  to  carry  a  tvornan,  since  it  had  been  once 
honoured  by  carrying  the  Vicar  of  Christ.  (Quasi  in- 
dignaretur  mulierem  recipere,  ex  quo  sedisset  in  eo  Chrifsti 


MOXASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  57 

Vicarius.)  On  which  account  the  horse  was  made  a 
present  of  to  the  supreme  pontiff.* 

What  follows  will  be  thought  a  still  greater  miracle. 
On  the  pontiff's  entering  the  gates  of  Constantinople,  he 
was  met  by  an  immense  concourse  of  people,  which,  with 
the  emperor  at  its  head,  advanced  to  meet  him  in  order  to 
do  him  honour.  There,  in  presence  of  the  emperor  and 
of  the  assembled  multitude,  he  performed  a  most  stupen- 
dous miracle,  by  giving  sight  to  a  blind  man.  The  em- 
peror and  his  people,  seeing  his  power  and  its  effects, 
immediately  and  with  one  accord  prostrated  themselves 
at  his  feet,  and  adored  him! — Cujus  ad  pedes  prostratus 
etiam  imperator  veneratus  est.  On  returning  to  Italy,  he 
commanded  that  all  the  churches  built  by  the  Arians 
should  be  consecrated  for  Catholic  worship  ;  which  com- 
mand so  displeased  the  heretical  king,  Theodoric,  that 
having  got  possession  of  the  person  of  the  holy  pontiff 
by  stratagem,  he  cast  him  into  prison,  where  he  soon 
after  died  of  the  privations  which  he  underwent.  The- 
odoric himself  did  not  long  survive  him.  It  is  related  by 
St.  Gregory,  another  pope,  that  a  certain  pious  hermit 
^5aw  his  soul  immersed  in  the  liquid  flames  of  Lipari,t  in 
the  presence  of  Pope  John,  and  of  another  person,  whose 
death  he  had  also  caused. 

Here  is  a  pope,  whose  whole  life  was  taken  up  in  per- 
forming the  pontifical  duties  and  in  working  miracle*,  to 
which,  mind,  a  belief  equal  to  that  given  to  any  of  the 
miracles  of  the  gospel,  is  required  to  be  given.  Without 
inquiring,  whether  it  became  him  as  a  shepherd  to  desert 
his  flock,  and  leaving  it  to  the  rage  and  fury  of  a  perse- 

*  It  may  be  asked,  whether  the  bones  of  this  holy  horse  are  pre- 
served, as  they  ought  to  be,  in  some  church  for  the  veneration  of  the 
faithful  1  To  this  very  pertinent  question,  I  can  answer  neither  ne- 
gatively nor  affirmatively  ;  but  thus  far  I  can  say,  that  there  are  much 
more  ridiculous  relics  daily  held  out  to  be  kissed  and  bowed  down  to 
by  the  devotees  of  popish  Europe. — But  of  this  more  in  a  separate 
chapter. 

f  Lipari,  an  island  in  the  Mediterranean  oft'  the  coast  of  Sicily,  in 
which  there  is  a  large  volcano.  It  is  not  far  from  the  celejrated  one 
of  Mongibello,  or  Mount  Etna,  which  can  be  seen  from  it.  A  sweet 
delicious  wine,  called  Marvasia,  is  there  produced  in  abundance. 


58  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

cuting  tyrant,  to  seek  refuge  and  protection  for  himself; 
let  us  accompany  him  on  his  journey  to  Constantinople. 
The  story  about  the  horse  is  so  shamelessly  absurd,  that 
were  a  horse  able  to  comprehend  it,  he  would  probably 
kick  at  the  narrator  for  his  disregard  for  truth.  But  then 
the  horse  was  given  as  a  present  to  the  pope.  Yes,  and 
why  not?  The  pope  very  probably  wanted  one,  and — if, 
indeed,  there  be  even  the  shadow  of  a  foundation  for  this 
bare-faced  lie — so  jockeyed  that  which  was  lent  to  him, 
that  he  made  the  poor  beast  serve  a  double  purpose; 
his  own  profit,  by  having  it  bestowed  to  him  ;  and  his 
character,  by  being,  through  its  means,  confirmed  in 
the  assumed  title  of  Vicar  of  Christ.  That  title  and  the 
authority  attached  to  it,  must  certainly  have  very  little 
foundation  in  truth,  even  in  the  opinion  of  its  supporters, 
when  they  grasp  at  so  ridiculous  a  testimony  as  a  horse's. 
Were  such  a  story  related  to  the  inhabitants  of  modern 
Rome,  they  would  reply,  with  the  Italian  shrug  of  the 
shoulders,  that  the  horse  was  priest-ridden,  (which  is 
literally  true,)  or  had  been  fascinated  by  the  pope  ;  the 
power  of  fascination  being  attributed  to  the  holy  father, 
as  well  as  the  power  of  the  keys.  It  is  most  probable, 
however,  that  the  story  has  no  foundation  whatever  in 
truth,  it  being  merely  an  invention  of  modern  popery,  fit 
to  be  used  as  an  argument,  through  want  of  a  better,  in 
favour  of  an  assumed  authority. 

The  miracle  of  giving  sight  to  a  blind  man,  is  nothing 
more  than  a  preliminary  to  what  follows;  that  is,  to  the 
adoration  of  the  pope  by  the  emperor  and  people.  Cer- 
tainly, the  like  adoration  is  practised  daily  by  modern 
worshippers  of  the  pope,  without  so  good  a  cause  for 
such  impiety  as  had  been  given  by  the  forementioned  mi- 
racle, whether  true  or  fictitious.  As  to  Gregory's  i''able 
about  the  hermit  who  saw  Theodoric's  soul  plunged  into 
the  liquid  fire  of  Lipari,  it  is  too  ridiculous  for  serious 
comment.  It  gives,  however,  a  sample  of  Gregory's 
works — works,  which,  as  has  been  before  related,  are 
blasphemously  attributed  to  the  Holy  Spirit  that  was  seen 
in  the  form  of  a  dove  hovering  around  the  author's  head, 
whilst  dictating  them.     The  rest  of  his  works,  with  very 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  59 

few  exceptions,  are  on  a  par  with  this  story — the  ravings 
of  the  disordered  imagination  of  a  bedlamite. 

The  foregoing  extracts  clearly  show,  that  the  authority 
of  the  pope,  and  the  bringing  forward  arguments  in  sup- 
port of  that  authority,  are  things  constantly  kept  in  view 
by  the  compilers  of  the  breviary  whilst  relating  the  lives 
and  exploits  of  the  first  bishops  of  Rome.  They  seem 
never  to  pay  any  regard  to  history,  or  to  the  authentic 
records  of  the  ancient  church,  which  are  either  entirely 
silent  on  the  subject  of  supremacy,  it  being  a  claim  then 
unknown  ;  or  when  mention  is  made  of  it,  it  is  only  to 
repress  the  presumption  of  some  bishop  daring  to  claim 
it  for  himself.  The  Greek  church,  long  before  its  final 
separation  from  the  Latin,  which  did  not  take  place  till 
towards  the  middle  of  the  eleventh  century,  never  ac- 
knowledged that  the  Bishop  of  Rome  had  a  greater 
extent  of  authority  in  the  universal  church  than  any 
other  bishop  had  in  his  own  particular  diocess,  and  there- 
fore regarded  with  becoming  contempt,  and  resisted  every 
attempt  made  by  the  Roman  bishops  to  bring  the  eastern 
churches  under  their  sway.  In  the  famous  controversy 
relating  to  the  procession  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Photius, 
the  patriarch  of  Jerusalem,  having  been  excommunicated 
by  Pope  Nicholas,  convened  an  assembly,  and  pro- 
nounced sentence  of  excommunication  against  Nicholas 
himself  in  return,  which  he  got  subscribed  by  twenty 
bishops,  and  others,  amounting  in  all  to  one  thousand. 
This  occurred  in  the  middle  of  the  ninth  century.  I 
mention  it  here  chiefly  to  show,  that  supremacy,  how- 
ever it  may  be  laid  claim  to  by  the  church  of  Rome,  was 
never  acknowledged  by  the  whole  Christian  church. 
The  claims  to  supremacy  being  then  without  foundation, 
infallibility,  of  which  it  is  the  support,  falls  of  its  own 
accord. 

As  for  the  sanctity  of  life,  and  performance  of  miracles 
attributed  to  the  early  bishops  of  Rome,  some  better 
authority  than  that  of  the  breviary  is  needed,  in  order  to 
justly  give  them  any  degree  of  credence.  There  cer- 
tainly were,  it  may  be  supposed,  many  pious  and  holy 
men  overseers  of  the  Christian  community  in  the  church 


60  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

at  Rome  during  the  ages  of  pagan  idolatry,  but  the  names 
of  the  greater  number  of  these  are  lost,  having  never 
reached  beyond  their  own  times,  by  reason  of  the  dis- 
tracted state  of  the  primitive  church.  In  order,  however, 
to  make  up  an  uninterrupted  succession  from  St.  Peter 
down  to  our  own  days,  many  who  never  existed  at  all  but 
in  the  brain  of  some  monkish  annalist,  are  made  claim- 
ants for  infallibility  and  supremacy.  Lives  are  written 
for  them,  and  miracles  are  related,  as  if  performed  by 
them  :  the  imaginary  saints  are  enrolled  in  the  army  of 
martyrs  or  confessors,  as  it  may  best  suit  the  purpose  or 
the  fancy  of  their  biographers  to  make  them  either  the  one 
or  the  other.*  But  so  far  from  the  succession  of  the 
bishops  of  Rome  being  uninterrupted,  it  is  even  doubted 
by  many  historians,  whether  St.  Peter  was  ever  at  Rome 
at  all.  He  certainly  was  at  Antioch,  and  preached  there 
the  glad  tidings  of  salvation,  but  his  having  been  at  Rome 
by  no  means  rests  on  equal  certainty.  The  church  of 
Antioch,  therefore,  seems  to  have  a  better  right  to  the 
title  of  the  first  see,  if  that  title  be  essentially  attached 
(which  it  is  not)  to  the  person  of  Peter ;  or  if  indeed 
such  a  title  belongs  by  right  to  any  church  whatever. 
If  then  the  reality  of  St.  Peter's  ever  having  been  at 
Rome  be  in  itself  a  matter  of  doubt,  with  how  much 
greater  reason  may  the  fabulous  lives  of  many,  who  are 
called  his  successors,  be  called  in  question.  And  even 
granting,  for  the  moment,  that  those  men  did  exist,  does 
it  then  follow,  they   arrogated  to  themselves  the  anti* 

*  Confessor,  according  to  the  signification  attached  to  the  word  by 
the  ancient  church,  means  a  Christian,  who,  of  his  own  accord,  pre- 
sented himself  before  the  tribunal  of  some  persecuting  judge,  and 
openly  avowed  his  belief  in  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  If  brought 
before  that  tribunal  by  force,  but  did  not  deny  the  faith,  when  ques- 
tioned by  the  judge,  he  was  called  also  a  confessor,  though  of  a  class 
inferior  to  the  former.  If  punished  by  death  for  this  open  avowal, 
he  is  styled  a  martyr.  The  Romish  church  calls  every  monk,  whom 
the  folly  of  his  order  had  got  canonized  or  beatified,  by  the  specious 
name  of '  confessor ,-'  though  far  from  confessing  Christ  to  be  God,  he 
never  thought  about  the  matter  at  all,  and  only  confessed  the  pope  to> 
be  infallible  and  supreme  pastor  of  the  church.  How  diiferent  frons 
the  primitive  confessors  t 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  61 

Christian  attributes  of  modern  popes  ?  Did  they  claim 
supremacy  and  infallibility,  or  did  they  endeavour  to 
exalt  themselves  and  their  see  at  the  expense  of  every 
gospel  precept?  If  we  believe  the  breviary,  we  must 
say,  "  they  did."  But  the  few  extracts  I  have  given 
from  it,  showing  what  stress  should  be  laid  on  its  author- 
ity, will,  I  trust,  caution  the  reader  from  coming  to  that 
conclusion.  I  leave  him,  however,  to  judge  for  himself, 
and  make  use  of  his  own  powers  of  discrimination, 
whilst  I  proceed  to  the  examination  of  another  portion 
of  the  same  book — that  containing  the  memoirs  of  the 
saints,  or  deified  men  who  were  not  popes. « 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Continuation  of  extracts  from  the  Breviary — St.  Vincent  Ferreri — 
Miracle— Suspension  of  the  laws  of  nature — Remarks — Adoration 
of  Vincent  at  Valenda — St.  Anthony  of  Padua— Preaches  to  the 
birds — Hymn  composed  in  his  honour — His  miracles — Sailing 
without  ship  or  boat — Removal  of  mountains — St.  Denis  walldng 
with  his  head  in  his  hand — Shrine  of  an  Italian  saint — Conclud- 
ing remarks  on  the  Breviary. 

No  doctrine  is  so  fondly  adhered  to  by  the  church  of 
Rome  as  the  invocation  of  saints,  nor  is  there  any  other 
supported  by  so  monstrous  a  mass  of  absurd  fables  as  the 
same.  The  greater  part  of  the  breviary  is  taken  up  in 
.relating  the  actions  and  miracles  performed  by  them,  and 
in  giving  a  history  of  the  many  favours  and  graces  ob- 
tained through  their  intercession,  by  the  numerous  devo- 
tees, who  idolatrously  bow  down  to  and  worship  their 
images  and  relics.  No  fable  is  thought  too  absurd,  no 
pretended  miracle  too  contradictory,  when  related  as  be- 
ing performed  by  some  saint.  The  lives  of  monks  espe- 
cially— and  the  greater  part  of  modern  saints  were  either 
monks  or  nuns — are  dwelt  upon  with  peculiar  emphasis. 
Their  poverty,  their  self-denial,  their  obedience,  are  all 
related  in  classical  Latin.  Then  comes  the  history  of 
the  miracles  performed  by  them,  of  how  they  were  cano- 
7 


62  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

nized,  and  of  the  favours  obtained  at  their  shrine  before 
and  after  canonization.  I  shall  make  two  or  three  ex- 
tracts from  the  many,  whose  absurdity  renders  them 
worthy  of  remark.  I  shall  give  them  in  my  own  words, 
inviting  those,  who  may  be  inclined  to  doubt  their  au- 
thenticity, to  examine  for  themselves. 

In  the  life  of  St.  Vincent  Ferreri,  a  Dominican  friar, 
we  are  told  that  he  performed  so  many  miracles,  that  his 
superior,  fearing  lest  their  frequency  would  make  them 
be  undervalued  in  the  eyes  of  the  people,  deemed  it  pru- 
dent to  command  him  to  abstain  from  miracle-working  in 
future,  without  having  obtained  first  express  leave  from 
himself.  This  command,  Vincent,  like  a  good  monk, 
submitted  to,  being  always  remarkable  for  his  prompt 
obedience.  It  happened  one  day  after  this  prohibition, 
as  he  was  returning  from  celebrating  mass  at  the  cathe- 
dral church  of  Valencia,  that  he  saw  a  mason  in  the  act 
of  falling  from  a  scaffold  erected  on  the  side  of  a  high 
building.  Not  being  allowed  to  assist  him  by  a  miracle 
without  express  leave  from  his  superior,  and  being  at  this 
time  more  than  a  mile  from  his  convent,  he  cried  out  to 
the  falling  mason,  "  Stop  there,  suspended  between  earth 
and  heaven,  till  I  go  to  my  convent,  and  obtain  permis- 
sion from  my  superior  to  assist  thee  and  to  miraculously 
restore  thee  to  life,  if,  as  is  most  probable,  thou  shouldst 
be  killed  by  the  fall."  So  saying,  Vincent  hurried  away 
as  fast  as  his  feet  could  carry  him  to  his  convent  in  order 
to  obtain  the  desired  permission,  and  having  laid  the  case 
before  his  superior,  he  happily  obtained  it.  Jn  the  mean 
time,  crowds  assembled  from  all  parts  of  the  city  to  see 
the  mason  miraculously  sitting  in  the  air  without  any 
support ;  and  being  informed  that  it  was  caused  by  com- 
mand of  the  holy  Vincent,  his  fame  grew  more  and  more 
with  the  people.  The  story  then  tells  us,  that  the  mason 
was  rescued  from  his  perilous  situation  by  the  endeavours 
of  those  assembled,  and  so  saved  Vincent  the  trouble  of 
restoring  him  to  life,  if  he  were  killed. 

This  story,  ridiculous  as  it  may  seem,  is  nevertheless 
strongly  believed  by  many  devotees  of  his  Dominican 
saintship.     Indeed,  a  belief  in  it  is  sanctioned  by  the  head 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC.  63 

of  the  Romish  church  himself,  it  having  been  declared  a 
true  miracle  by  an  assembly  of  cardinals  and  bishops 
held  at.  Rome  previous  to  the  canonization  of  Vincent, 
and  brought  forward  as  one  of  his  strongest  claims  for 
being  enrolled  among  the  number  of  saints.  Pictures  re- 
presenting the  miracle  are  everywhere  to  be  found  in  the 
Dominican  churches,  whilst  smaller  ones,  engraved  de- 
signedly for  the  use  of  the  common  people,  are  to  be  found 
in  their  houses  and  pasted  on  their  walls.  There  is  a 
Dominican  convent  at  Chieti,  a  town  of  the  province  of 
the  Abruzzi,  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples,  in  the  church  of 
which  the  subject  of  this  miracle  is  taken  for  an  altar- 
piece.*  I  was  once  conversing  with  a  Spanish  priest, 
whom  I  saw  at  Rome,  on  the  subject  of  this  miracle,  and 
on  the  extraordinary  adoration  paid  to  Vincent  by  all 
Spaniards,  and  more  especially  by  the  citizens  of  Valencia. 
He  assured  me,  that  the  doubting  of  any  one  thing  attri- 
buted to  St.  Vincent,  would  be  thought  by  the  Valencians 
the  greatest  of  all  heresies,  and  that  the  unfortunate  skeptic, 
would  incur  the  risk  of  being  torn  asunder  by  the  enraged 
rabble.  Even  in  the  pulpits,  where  it  might  be  supposed, 
at  least,  that  nothing  but  the  vital  principles  of  Christian- 
ity would  be  preached,  Dominican  preachers  relate  the 
life  and  miracles  of  St.  Vincent  to  an  astonished  mul- 
titude, and  he  is  esteemed  the  best  preacher,  who  can 
preach  the  best  panegyric  on  their  favourite  saint.  His 
festival  is  held  in  Valencia  a  day  of  rejoicing  ;  the  guns 
of  the  garrison  are  fired,  and  the  soldiers  present  their 
arms  to  his  image  as  it  is  carried  processionally  through 
the  streets,  dressed  up  in  a  Dominican  habit,  surrounded 
by  the  clergy  with  large  wax  torches  in  their  hands,  and 
followed  by  the  multitude  crying  out,  "  Gracia,  Santo 
Vincentio;  gracia,  Santo  Vincentio."  (Favour,  St.  Vin- 
cent ;  favour,  St.  Vincent.) 

•  An  altar-piece  means  that  picture  which  is  placed  over  the  altar 
of  popish  churches.  It  is  generally  a  representation  of  the  crucifixion, 
or  of  the  last  supper,  or  of  some  other  remarkable  event  mentioned  in 
the  gospel.  Monks,  in  place  of  these  scriptural  pieces,  generally  have 
for  altar-pieces  the  picture  of  their  founder,  or  of  some  saint  of  their 
order. 


64  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

One  thing  is  more  especially  remarkable  in  the  forego- 
ing story.  Vincent,  though  expressly  forbidden  under 
pain  of  disobedience  to  work  any  more  miracles,  yet 
when  he  saw  the  imminent  danger  of  the  poor  mason, 
forgot  his  prohibition  altogether.  How  then  did  he  re- 
concile this  act  of  disobedience  with  the  vow,  by  which 
he  promised  to  obey  to  the  letter  every  command,  which 
his  superior  might  think  fit  to  lay  upon  him  ?  It  is  got 
over  by  saying,  that  his  holy  simplicity  did  not-  allow 
him  to  imagine,  that  causing  a  suspension  of  the  laws  of 
nature  could  be  thoiight  a  transgression  against  the  com- 
mand of  his  superior,  and  he  therefore  ordered  the  mason 
to  remain  in  the  air,  until  he  could  get  his  leave.* 

Our  next  extract  from  the  breviary  is  taken  from,  the 
life  of  St.  Anthony  of  Padua. 

"  Anthony  was  born  at  Lisbon,  the  capital  of  Portugal. 
From  his  very  birth  he  gave  evident  signs  of  his  future 
holiness.  While  yet  an  infant  at  his  mother's  breast,  he 
was  observed  to  abstain  from  her  milk  every  Friday  and 
fast-day,  though  on  other  days  he  satisfied  his  hunger 
like  any  other  child.  He  was  early  distinguished  for 
the  love  he  bore  to  the  friars  of  the  Franciscan  order. 
One  day,  a  Franciscan  lay-brothert  came  to  his  father's 
house  begging  for  something  to  supply  the  wants  of  his 
convent ;  but  being  refused,  the  child  Anthony,  then  only 
six  months  old,  broke  out  into  a  fit  of  crying,  and  became 

*  The  above  was  a  case  of  conscience  (as  like  cases  are  called) 
actually  ^ven  by  a  lecturer  on  moral  theology  to  his  students:  and 
which,  after  having  been  debated  upon  for  some  hours,  was,  in  the 
end,  decided  to  the  satisfaction  of  all  present,  by  attributing  the  act  of 
disobedience  on  the  part  of  Vincent  to  a  holy  simplicity.  The  case 
was  the  more  difficult,  because  no  one  could  have  the  boldness  to 
bring  a  verdict  of  sinfulness  against  the  saint,  the  miracle  having  had 
the  approval  of  the  pope,  and  therefore  unimpeachable. 

f  Lay-brothers  are  the  servants  of  th£  monasteries,  and  generally 
go  about  the  towns  and  villages,  collecting  money  for  the  service  of 
the  community.  They  are,  for  the  most  part,  very  ignorant ;  few  of 
them  having  ever  learned  to  read.  They  are  professed,  like  the  other 
friars,  and  instead  of  the  office  from  the  breviary,  they  mumble  over 
so  many  Pater-nosters  and  Ave  Marias.  Many  of  them  become 
saints.     Ignorance  is  the  mother  of  popish  sanctity. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC.  65 

SO  agitated  throughout  his  whole  frame,  that  his  mother 
suspecting  the  reason,  deemed  it  necessary  to  call  the  lay- 
brother  back,  and  contribute  to  his  wants.  The  child  was 
then  instantly  appeased,  and  showed  evidently  by  his 
laughing  in  the  face  of  the  lay-brother,  and  playing  with 
his  beard,  what  was  the  cause  of  his  crying.  At  two 
years  old,  he  was  a  constant  attendant  at  the  holy  sacri- 
fice of  the  mass  ;  and  even  at  that  early  age,  learned 
without  an  instructer  the  manner  of  answering  the  priest, 
while  celebrating  that  divine  ceremony.  At  the  age  of 
fourteen,  he  embraced  the  Franciscan  order,  and  distin- 
guished himself  in  a  short  time  for  his  love  of  fasting  and 
other  mortifications.  He  never  ate  but  one  meal  a  day, 
during  lent,  and  that  very  sparingly.  To  mortify  every 
desire  of  the  flesh,  he  was  accustomed  to  mix  ashes  with 
his  food,  lest  he  should  experience  the  slightest  enjoy- 
ment from  the  sense  of  taste.  Having  finished  his  stu- 
dies and  being  ordained  priest,  he  was  deemed  a  fit  sub- 
ject to  send  as  missionary  to  Turkey.  But  God,  who 
had  chosen  him  from  his  infancy  to  be  a  vessel  of  elec- 
tion, designed  him  for  another  work — the  work  of  con- 
verting the  city  of  Padua,  at  that  time  sunk  deep  in  the 
mire  of  vice  and  debauchery." 

The  ship  in  which  he  left  Lisbon,  being  obliged  by 
unfavourable  weather  to  put  into  Venice,  the  saint  retired 
to  his  convent  in  the  latter  city.  A  preacher  being 
wanted  for  the  neighbouring  city  of  Padua,  the  man  of 
God  was  chosen  (God  himself  surely  directing  the 
choice)  to  carry  the  words  of  life  to  that  dissolute  city. 
The  Paduans  at  first  refused  to  listen  to  him,  but  he  at- 
tracted their  attention  by  a  stupendous  miracle.  One 
day,  the  clamour  became  louder  than  usual  against  hear- 
ing the  word  of  God,  when  the  saint,  turning  away  from 
the  stone-hearted  people,  invited  the  birds  of  the  air  to 
come  and  hear  the  tidings  of  salvation.  In  an  instant, 
the  church  was  filled  with  birds,  which,  forgetting  their 
natural  timidity,  perched  on  every  side  around  the  pul- 
pit, and  attentively  listened  to  the  sermon.  The  people 
seeing  this,  threw  themselves  at  the  saint's  feet,  and 
humbly  entreated  his  prayers  and  intercession,  to  avert 


66*  SIX    TEAKS    IN   THE 

the  arm  of  God,  which  was  going  to  visit  them  for  the 
neglect  of  his  word,  and  of  his  servant.  The  saint,  by 
preaching  that  whole  lent,  converted  nearly  the  entire 
population ;  so  that  there  were  not  priests  enough  to 
hear  the  confessions  of  the  numbers  approaching  the  tri- 
bunal of  penance.  Priests  were  sent  for  from  the  neigh- 
bouring cities,  and  the  people  became  reconciled  to  God 
through  their  agency.  Nor  would  they  ever  allow  An- 
thony to  leave  them  afterward,  but  prayed  and  entreated 
him  to  remain  among  them,  which  he  did  to  the  end  of 
his  mortal  career.  A  no  less  surprising  miracle  than  the 
one  already  related  is  the  following : — In  this  his  first 
mission,  Anthony  was  wholly  unacquainted  with  the 
Italian  language,  and  therefore  preached  to  the  Paduans 
in  Portuguese,  his  native  language,  which  the  latter  un- 
derstood for  Italian,  and  were  surprised  that  a  foreigner 
could  have  a  greater  command  of  it  than  they  had  them- 
selves. When,  however,  Anthony  modestly  made  known 
how  the  affair  actually  stood,  then  their  respect  and  es- 
teem for  the  holy  man  increased  tenfold.  He  performed 
other  innumerable^iracles,  curing  the  sick,  giving  sight 
to  the  blind,  limbs  to  the  limbless,  children  to  the  child- 
less, and  teeth  to  the  toothless  !  He  at  last  passed  to 
receive  the  crown  of  glory,  which  his  works  so  richly 
merited,  full  of  the  odour  of  sanctity. 

Such  is  the  life  of  Anthony  of  Padua,  the  great  idol  of 
the  Italians,  and  the  fitting  instrument  to  make  a  super- 
stitious people  bear  patiently  the  galling  yoke  of  popish 
tyranny.  Such  are  the  actions,  and  such  the  marvellous 
works  attributed  to  this  Christian  Juggernaut  by  popular 
superstition,  excited  by  priestcraft.  As  great  as  the 
veneration  is  in  which  Vincent  Ferreri  is  held  at  Valen- 
cia, greater  by  far  is  that  in  which  Anthony  is  held  in 
Padua,  and  indeed  in  every  town  and  village  of  Italy 
which  is  so  unfortunate  as  to  be  pestered  with  a  convent 
of  Franciscan  friars.  Hrs  name  is  given  by  parents  to 
their  new-born  babes  ;  and  that  child  is  superstitiously 
supposed  to  be  guarded,  and  protected  from  all  sickness, 
and  other  evils  attending  the  infant  state,  by  the  saint 
whose  name  it  has  the  honour  to  bear.     It  is  no  uncom- 


•  MONASTERIES   OF    ITALY,   ETC.  67 

mon  thing  to  find  a  whole  family,  and  almost  a  whole 
village,  with  few  exceptions,  every  individual  of  which 
is  named  after  this  saint.  Nor  would  it  be  any  easy 
matter  to  distinguish  them  one  from  the  other,  were  it 
not  for  the  additional  name  of  some  minor  saint,  affixed 
or  prefixed  to  the  favoured  one  of  Antonio.  Thus  one 
is  called  simply  Antonio  ;  and  for  the  most  part  this  is 
given  as  if  by  right  to  the  eldest  child,  if  a  male,  and  An- 
tonia,  if  a  female.  Then  comes  Antonio  Francesco,  Fran- 
cesco Antonio,  &;c.,  for  the  men,  and  Giovanna  Antonia,  or 
Antonia  Vincenza  for  the  women.  In  the  city  of  Padua 
alone,  it  has  been  remarked,  that  three  out  of  five  of  the 
inhabitants  are  baptized  by  the  name  of  Antonio  alone, 
or  by  some  other  name  placed  before  or  after  it.  Many 
churches  are  taken  up  altogether  with  his  images,  and 
those  of  the  Madenna ;  and  for  one  candle  lighted  in 
honour  of  God,  there  are  thousands  constantly  kept  burn- 
ing in  honour  of  this  idol.  His  altar  is  adorned  with 
gold  and  precious  stones,  whilst  that  dedicated  to  Christ 
is  adorned  with  cobivebs.  The  following  hymn,  com- 
posed in  his  honour,  and  sung  before  his  image,  will 
give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  worship  and  adoration 
paid  to  this  deified  monk. 

Si  quseris  miracula, 
Mors,  error,  calamitas, 
Demon,  lepra  fugiunt, 
^gri  surgunt  sani 
Cedunt  mare,  vincula, 
Membra,  resque  perditas 
Petunt  et  accipiunt 
Juvenes  et  cani 
Narrent  hi  qui  testes  fuerunt 
Dicant  Paduani. 

The  literal  translation  of  the  foregoing  would  be,  "  If 
thou  seekest  miracles,  let  those  relate  who  witnessed 
them.  Let  the  Paduans  relate,  how  death,  errors,  and 
calamities  retired  before  the  presence  of  Anthony  ;  how 
devils  and  lepers  flee  from  his  power ;  and  how  the  sick 
arise  from  their  beds  of  death,  restored  to  health.  Seas 
and  bondage  yield  to  his  conquering  hand,  whilst  young 


68  SIX   YEARS  IN   THE 

and  old  look  for  and  receive  through  his  intercession 
their  lost  limbs." 

Innumerable  are  the  miracles  and  extraordinary  ex- 
ploits attributed  by  the  breviary  to  every  saint  in  the 
calendar.  The  miracles  of  Christ,  and  the  actions  of  the 
apostles  are  nothing  when  compared  to  them,  as  if  the 
breviary  was  expressly  designed  to  take  away  the  adora- 
tion due  to  the  Creator,  and  bestow  it  upon  the  creature. 
One,  like  St.  Francis  de  Paula,  is  remarliable  for  passing 
deep  and  rapid  torrents,  and  oftentimes  the  sea  itself, 
without  the  help  of  either  boat  or  ship,  these  being  things 
necessary  only  for  the  profaniim  vulgus — the  herd  of 
mankind — whilst  the  sanctified  monk  can  at  any  time 
turn  his  mantle  into  a  ferry-boat,  and  acting  himself  as 
pilot  take  his  companions  in  his  mantle-boat  as  pas- 
sengers. Another  is  famed  for  removing  mountains  by  a 
single  word  ;  as  is  related  to  have  been  done  by  Gregory 
Thaumaturgos,  or  the  miracle-worker,  ■^vhen  a  huge 
mountain  impeded  the  labours  of  the  workmen  employed 
by  him  in  building  a  church.  The  saint,  seeing  that  it 
would  take  up  too  much  time  and  labour  to  remove  the 
mountain  in  the  ordinary  way,  ordered  it  to  depart  imme- 
diately from  the  place  wherein  nature  had  formed  it,  Avhich 
order  the  mountain,  obedient  to  the  command  of  the  holy 
bishop,  immediately  obeyed,  moving  in  the  sight  of  the 
assembled  workmen  to  a  distance  of  two  miles  from  its 
former  site.*  Some  other  saint  is  famed  for  walking  two 
miles  with  his  head  under  his  arm,  after  it  had  been 
severed  from  his  body ;  which  is  as  probable  as  the  story, 
believed  by  some  of  the  Irish  peasantry,  of  St.  Patrick's 

*  The  above  miracle  will  probably  recall  to  the  mind  of  the  reader 
the  well  known  story  of  Mahomet  and  the  mountain.  There  is, 
however,  this  difference  between  the  two  stories  :  that  Mahomet  was 
obliged  to  go  to  his  mountain,  whereas  Gregory's  mountain  was 
commanded  to  retire  from  him.  The  Arabian  impostor,  cunning  as 
he  was,  had  not  half  the  invention  of  the  Christian  bishop,  or  rather, 
of  his  historians,  who,  when  they  attempt  a  miracle,  perform  it,  if 
words  and  affirmation  can  do  it.  Indeed,  the  Turkish  historian  de- 
served the  bastinado  for  being  thus  outdone  in  the  marvellous  by  a 
Christian. 


MONASTERIES   OP    ITALY,  ETC.  69 

swimming  across  the  LifFey  with  his  head  between  his 
teeth  !* 

The  favours  obtained  by  faithful  believers  on  touching 
the  bodies  and  relics  of  the  saints,  are  also  recounted  by 
the  breviary  in  classical  Latin.  Some  bodies  are  stated 
to  have  continued  in  a  state  of  incorruption  for  centuries 
others,  to  have  emitted  a  sweet  odour  on  being  removed 
from  the  place  they  were  buried  in.t  Thus  the  breviary 
tells  us,  that  the  tongue  of  St.  Anthony  of  Padua  (whose 
life  has  been  already  taken  notice  of)  remains  to  this  day 

*  In  the  life  of  Saint  Denis,  as  related  by  the  breviary,  we  read, 
that  "  he  was  judge  of  the  Areopagus  at  Athens,  and  that  being  con- 
verted to  the  Christian  religion,  he  was  made  archbishop  of  Paris, 
where  he  suffered  martyrdom,  and  walked  two  miles  with  his  head  in 
his  hands ;"  thus  confounding  the  persons  of  Dionysius,  the  Areo- 
pagite,  and  of  Saint  Denis  eveque  de  Paris,  contrary  to  the  united 
testimonies  of  historians,  some  of  whom  affirm,  that  Dionysius  was 
never  in  France  in  his  life,  while  others  go  still  farther,  and  say,  that 
he  died  a  pagan,  and  that  the  books  going  under  his  name,  as  far  as 
they  relate  to  Christianity,  are  the  inventions  of  more  modern  times. 
A  young  French  lady  being  asked  by  her  confessor,  who  was  a  Jesuit, 
if  she  believed  that  Saint  Denis  had  walked  two  miles  after  his  head 
was  chopped  off,  she  replied  with  a  naivete  peculiar  to  a  French 
woman,  "  Oui,  mon  reverend  pere,  si  vous  etez  certain,  qu'il  a  fait 
le  primier  pas,  pourquoi  il  ne  coute  que  cela."  (Yes,  reverend 
father,  if  you  are  certain  that  he  had  taken  the  first  step,  for  that  is 
the  only  difficult  one.) 

f  The  bodies  of  saints  are  generally  removed  after  their  canoniza- 
tion from  the  common  cemetery,  and  deposited  under  an  altar  erected 
and  dedicated  in  honour  of  them.  So  also  a  shrine  was  dedicated  in 
honour  of  a  pagan  idol.  The  shrine  of  a  modern  Italian  idol  is  filled 
with  the  votive  offerings  of  those,  who  imagined  that  they  obtained 
some  relief  in  their  necessities  by  praying  to  the  god  that  inhabits  it. 
If  the  skill  of  the  surgeon,  or  chance,  should  have  cured  a  broken 
limb,  the  cure  is  not  attributed  to  either,  but  to  the  saint  whose  assist- 
ance was  invoked.  Horace  somewhere  mentions  a  custom  of  the 
ancient  Romans,  to  hang  up  a  "tabula  votiva,"  for  having  obtained 
some  imaginary  help  from  one  of  their  gods.  In  imitation  of  this 
custom,  the  modern  Romans  adorn  the  walls  of  a  saint's  shrine  with 
silver  and  waxen  legs,  arms,  eyes,  crutches,  chains — the  offerings  of 
those  who  had  been  cured  or  liberated  from  bondage  through  the 
intercession  or  agency  of  the  saint  to  whom  it  is  dedicated.  If  this 
be  not  giving  praise,  honour,  and  glory  to  the  creature  instead  of  the 
Creator,  I  do  not  know  what  is  ! ! 


70  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

incorrupt  in  the  church  of  the  Franciscans  at  Padua, 
though  it  had  been  buried  with  his  body  for  more  than  one 
hundred  years  ;  and  that  favours  are  granted,  and  miracles 
daily  performed  for  the  relief  of  those  who  devotedly 
worship  it.  Numerous  examples  are  given  of  diseases 
cured,  of.  the  dead  brought  back  to  life,  and  of  limbs 
restored  ; — all  effects  caused  by  having  the  afflicted 
brought  in  contact  with  the  body  or  relic  of  some  saint. 
The  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  not  lost  sight  of  in  the  mean 
time.  Souls  delivered  from  the  fire  of  purgatory  are  re- 
lated to  have  appeared  to  some  one,  and  to  have  declared 
that  they  owed  their  deliverance  to  the  intercession  of 
some  saint,  or  to  the  kindness  of  some  friend,  who  paid 
for  a  mass,  to  be  celebrated  on  their  behalf  at  the  altar 
dedicated  to  the  particular  worship  of  saint  such-a-one, 
invoking  at  the  same  time  the  mediation,  and  pleading  the 
merits  of — not  Christ,  but  of  the  deified  idol  to  whom 
the  altar  had  been  dedicated. 

The  breviary  is  in  this  way  made  the  prompt-book, 
from  which  priests  are  supplied  with  the  arguments 
adapted  to  the  propagation  of  the  soul-destroying  tenets 
of  a  religion,  which  leaves  the  precepts  and  doctrines  of 
the  divine  Founder  of  Christianity  in  the  background, 
and  supplies  their  place  with  the  doctrines  and  inventions 
of  men  ;  doctrines  too,  which,  regarded  even  in  a  moral 
light,  are  by  many  degrees  inferior  to  those  delivered  by 
pagan  philosophers,  deprived,  as  they  were,  of  the  light 
of  revelation.  Though  the  greater  number  of  priests  do 
not  believe  in  the  one  millionth  part  of  the  gross  absurdi- 
ties which  they  hold  out  to  be  believed  by  their  deluded 
followers,  yet  all  with  one  accord  work  together,  the  love 
of  filthy  lucre  being  the  bond  of  union,  for  the  purpose 
of  establishing  as  essential  doctrines  of  the  Christian 
religion  those  very  absurdities.  In  this  they  are  assisted 
by  the  breviary,  which  seems  as  if  expressly  framed  to 
be  an  auxiliary  in  their  works  of  deception.  The  ex- 
tracts taken  from  it  will,  perhaps  be  thought  by  many 
too  numerous  ;  but  were  they  less  in  number,  it  might 
be  supposed  that  a  character  was  given  it  which  it  does 
not  merit.     Many  hundreds  of  such  can  be  found  in  it, 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC  /I 

more  ridiculous,  if  possible,  than  the  few  just  given. 
Let  these,  however,  suffice,  and  I  trust  that  they  will  be 
enough  to  convince  the  most  incredulous,  that  the  breviary 
justly  deserves  the  name  of  "  impious,  absurd,  and 
ridiculous,""  and  only  fit  to  be  laughed  at,  instead  of  be- 
ing seriously  commented  upon,  had  it  not  been  tampering 
with  the  life-giving  truths  of  the  gospel. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Evils  attending  a  monkish  life — Novices  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  real 
etate  of  a  monk — Passions  to  which  monks,  are  subject — Hatred 
and  anger — Ambition — Tragical  story  of  two  Tuscan  monks — 
Method  of  conveying  moral  instruction — Narrative  of  an  occur- 
rence said  to  have  taken  place  in  the  Capuchin  convent  of  Frascati 
— Why  the  Capuchins  wear  beards — The  wood    of   the    true 


The  year  of  novitiate  is  passed  in  the  way  I  have  been 
just  describing.  The  novices  are  not,  however,  let  into, 
all  the  secrets  of  the  order,  till  they  learn  them  from  their 
own  observations,  after  profession.  They  are  not,  as  I 
have  already  stated,  allowed  to  have  intercourse  with  the 
professed  monks,  until  they  are  professed  themselves. 
They  therefore  can  form  no  judgment  of  the  real  feel- 
ings by  which  those  professed  are  actuated,  or  of  the 
degree  of  harmony  and  friendship  existing  among  them. 
They  cannot  even  suspect  that  those  persons,  who^are 
so  composed  in  their  manners,  and  so  circumspect  in 
their  conduct  in  the  presence  of  strangers,  among  which 
the  novices  are  ranked;  that  those  very  persons  could 
have  minds  glowing  with  the  worst  passions  to  which 
human  nature  is  subject,  and  Avhich  very  often  get  the 
better  of  that  restraint,  under  which  they  are  obliged  by 
circumstances  and  their  station  in  Ufe  to  keep  them. 
Hatred,  envy,  anger,  ambition,  lust,  and  avarice  are  the 
never-failing  companions  of  a  monkish  life.  Hatred  and 
envy  especially  are  passions  which  more  generally  pre- 
dominate in  the  mind  of  every  individual  monk.     He 


72  SIX    TEARS    IN   THE 

hates  his  fellow  monk  for  enjoying  more  of  tne  confidence 
of  the  superior  than  himself,  and  envies  him  for  being- 
chosen  to  fill  some  situation  of  which  he  himself  was 
ambitious.  It  has  been  remarked,  that  these  two  pas- 
sions, hatred  and  envy,  are  the  cause  of  very  great  evils 
in  monk-houses,  and  when  given  way  to  without  restraint, 
are  sometimes  followed  by  tragical  events  ;  which  rarely 
arrive  at  publicity,  lest  the  veneration  in  which  the  order 
is  held  by  the  people  should  be  lessened,  if  they  became 
aware,  that  those,  whom  they  honour  as  gods,  are  ob- 
noxious to  the  same  passions  as  agitate  themselves.  The 
better  informed  class  of  people  are,  nevertheless,  well 
aware  of  the  existence  of  those  evils  in  monk-houses,  and 
seldom  let  an  opportunity  escape  of  mentioning  them  in 
public,  when  they  think  they  can  do  so  without  danger  to 
themselves.  The  monks,  on  the  other  hand,  in  order  to 
maintain  their  influence,  cry  up  all  who  are  thus  bold 
enough  to  give  their  opinion  on  monkery,  as  enemies  of 
religion,  and  very  charitably  endeavour  to  bring  them 
under  the  notice  of  the  secular  government,  by  represent- 
ing them  as  Carbonari  ;*   thus  making  their  zeal  for  the 

*  Carbonari,  Anglice,  Colliers,  is  a  name  given  to  a  society  of  men 
in  Italy,  who,  compassionating  the  degraded  state  of  their  country, 
oppressed  by  priestcraft,  monkery,  and  the  bad  government  of  petty 
princes,  formed  themselves  into  a  body,  and  bound  themselves  by  a 
vow,  worthy  of  ancient  Romans,  to  rescue  their  country  from  its  mi- 
serable condition,  at  the  risk  of  their  own  lives  and  properties.  Truth 
obliges  me  to  add,  that  many  learned  monks  and  secular  priests,  who 
esteemed  the  common  good  of  greater  importance  than  their  private 
interests,  were  also  members  of  this  society.  Three  young  men  of 
noble  families  and  respectable  talents  were  beheaded  at  Rome  under 
Leo  XII.,  in  1826,  on  being  convicted  of  Carbonarism.  This  society 
is  not  yet  extinct,  though  it  is  strictly  watched.  We  may  hope  yet 
to  see  Italy,  through  its  exertions,  restored  to  that  rank  among  the 
nations  of  Europe,  to  which  it  is  so  justly  entitled,  and  which  it  has 
lost  only  through  the  slavemaking  tenets  of  popery.  Italy  alone  should 
be  enough  to  exemplify  the  practically  evil  effects  of  that  religion,  con- 
sidered only  in  a  political  light,  and  setting  aside  its  erroneous  doc- 
trines, relating  to  the  service  due  from  the  creature  to  the  Creator— a 
thing  surely  of  far  greater  importance,  as  all  must  confess,  who  are 
fully  aware  of  the  infinite  superiority  of  things  eternal  to  things  tem- 
poral. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  73 

Catholic  religion  a  pretext  for  being  revenged  on  their 
private  enemies,  who,  it  ought  to  be  borne  in  mind,  are 
their  enemies  only  inasmuch  as  they  themselves  are  ini- 
mical to  the  general  good  of  society  and  to  the  rules  of 
a  Christian  life. 

A  proverb  frequently  used  by  the  Italians  would  make 
one  suppose,  that  contentions  among  monks  are  better 
known  to  the  public  than  monks  themselves  are  aware 
of.  In  order  to  express  a  violent  deadly  hatred,  they  call 
it,  "  odio  allfratescct,''  (hatred  after  the  manner  of  monks 
or  friars.)  "When  this  detestable,  unchristian-like  passion 
gains  possession  of  a  monk's  mind,  he  lets  slip  no  oppor- 
tunity of  gratifying  it.  He  endeavours  to  prejudice  the 
superior  and  the  other  monks  against  the  unfortunate 
object  of  it,  either  by  malignant  insinuations,  cloaked 
under  a  zeal  for  the  good  of  the  order,  or  by  calumniating 
him  to  others,  or  by  openly  accusing  him  of  some  crime 
either  real  or  pretended.  The  other  monk  is  not  in  the 
mean  time  passive.  He,  on  his  part,  endeavours  to  in- 
jure his  enemy  also.  He  entertains  the  same  degree  of 
hatred  that  is  entertained  against  him,  and  is  hindered 
by  no  human  or  divine  law  to  endeavour  to  be  revenged  ; 
always  taking  care  that  his  desire  of  vengeance  should 
not  get  the  better  of  his  prudence,  for  he  is  well  aware 
that  the  commission  of  any  thing  which  would  be  thought 
an  offence  against  the  order,  would  be  only  placing  him- 
self at  the  mercy  of  his  opponent,  and  afford  him  a  cause 
for  triumph.  On  this  account,  he  takes  especial  care 
never  to  show  any  anger  in  the  presence  of  strangers  or 
of  those  who  do  not  belong  to  the  order,  nor  to  reveal  to 
any  one  outside  the  convent  walls,  nor  even  to  his  near- 
est relations,  any  thing  connected  with  the  trouble  and 
vexation  proceeding  from  the  other's  animosity,  with 
which  he  is  harassed.  The  secrets  of  the  order  are  to  be 
kept  at  all  hazards  ;  and  if  a  sense  of  duty  be  not  suffi- 
cient to  cause  them  to  be  kept,  punishments  are  added, 
for  the  person  that  reveals  them  loses  all  hopes  of  ever 
arriving  at  any  thing  above  a  common  friar  ;  and  if  he  be 
a  priest,  he  is  suspended  from  celebrating  mass,  and  sent 
to  some  desolate  convent  among  the  mountains,  wherehe 
8 


74  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

is  kept  for  the  remainder  of  his  life,  persecuteri  by  his 
brethren,  and  cursing  the  day  he  first  became  a  monk. 
The  superior,  seeing  the  danger  which  may  oe  appre- 
hended to  accrue  to  the  order  from  contentions  and  ani- 
mosities of  this  nature,  if  they  should  come  to  the  oars  of 
the  public,  interposes  his  authority,  and  fearing  some  fatal 
result,  separates  the  combatants  by  sending  them  to  dif- 
ferent convents,  and  thus  brings  about  a  cessation  nf  hos-^ 
tilities.  It  does  not  always  happen,  however,  that  monk 
ish  hatred  is  stifled  by  separating  the  parties.  The  fire 
may  be  buried  for  some  time  under  the  ashes,  but  there 
always  remains  sufficient  to  blaze  up  when  more  fuel  is 
added  :  so  contending  monks,  though  separated  for  some 
years,  never  forget  their  old  animosities,  which  are  always 
sure  to  break  out  with  renewed  vigour  when  they  again 
come  in  contact  with  each  other.  An  example,  which  I 
shall  take  the  liberty  to  lay  before  the  reader  in  illustra- 
tion of  the  truth  of  this  remark,  came  under  my  own  ob- 
servation, whilst  residing  in  the  Capuchin  convent  at 
Florence. 

Two  friars,  one  a  native  of  Pisa,  the  other  of  Leghorn, 
were  noted  for  a  strong  attachment  to  each  other,  which 
continued  without  intermission  for  a  number  of  years. 
They  were  fellow  novices,  fellow  students,  ordained  at  the 
same  time,  and  lived  the  greater  part  of  their  life  in  the  same 
convent.  It  seemed  impossible  that  any  thing  could  hap- 
pen, which  might  be  the  cause  of  breaking  through,  or  less- 
ening the  affection  and  love  they  bore  to  each  other.  The 
event,  however,  proved  how  false  were  such  appearances, 
and  how  weak  is  the  tie  of  friendship,  when  tried  by  the  test 
of  jarring  interests.  Both  had  a  desire  of  becoming  supe- 
riors, and  unfortunately  both  wished  to  be  made  superior 
of  the  same  convent.  Ambition  is  a  powerful  passion 
when  it  takes  root  in  any  mind,  every  thing  being  sacri- 
t?:**-  A  for  its  gratification  ;  but  ambition  is  doubly  power- 
.  i  whe^  it  takes  up  its  abode  in  the  mind  oi  a  monk,  it 
ng  the  only  one  that  can  be  given  way  to,  without 
running  the  risk  of  being  disgraced.  Caesar  had  never  a 
greater  desire  to  become  the  first  man  in  Rome,  than 
monks  have  of  becoming  guardians  or  provincials.     All 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  75 

the  other  passions  being  considered  as  unlawful  to  be 
gratified,  this  one  of  ambition,  which  is  considered  as  law- 
ful, acts  upon  the  mind  with  a  force  equal  to  the  whole. 
Our  two  friends  canvassed,  and  sought  to  prepossess  in 
tneir  favour  those  upon  whom  the  election  depended, 
while  each,  to  make  sure  of  his  own  election,  and  forget- 
ful of  their  ancient  friendship,  did  not  scruple  to  calumni- 
ate and  speak  evil  of  his  rival  candidate.  It  happened, 
nowever,  that  neither  was  elected.  Then  began  the  re- 
crimination ;  one  accusing  the  other  of  a  want  of  affection, 
and  the  other  in  turn  accusing  him  of  defamation,  till 
from  being  intimate  friends,  they  became  dire  foes,  and 
let  no  opportunity  escape  by  which  they  might  injure 
each  other.  The  contention  excited  at  length  the  atten- 
tion of  the  superior,  and  to  prevent  evil  consequences, 
they  were  separated,  by  being  sent  to  different  convents. 
Some  years  passed  away  after  their  separation,  and  it  was 
supposed  that  time  had  healed  the  wound  which  ambition 
had  given  their  mutual  friendship,  when  they  met  toge- 
ther again  in  Florence.  Their  enmity  then  broke  out 
anew  ;  and  in  a  moment  of  ungovernable  fury,  one  drew  a 
knife  and  stabbed  the  other ;  and  then  supposing  he  had 
killed  him,  flew  to  the  cloister,  where  there  was  a  deep 
well,  or  reservoir  of  water,  into  which  he  plunged.*  His 
lifeless  body  was  drawn  out  a  few  hours  afterward.  He 
that  was  stabbed  survived  the  wound,  but  died  soon  after 
of  a  broken  heart ;  persecuted  by  the  other  friars  for  hav- 
ing been  the  cause  of  the  other's  destroying  himself.  It 
was  given  out  in  the  convent,  that  the  unfortunate  self- 
murderer  was  deranged  when  he  committed  the  rash  deed, 
and  therefore  his  body  was  buried  with  the  accustomed 
honours.  Every  monk  was  commanded  under  pain  of 
disobedience  never  to  speak  on  the  subject,  nor  even  to 
think  upon  it,  if  possible.     Thus  ended  this  monkish 

*  In  the  neighbourhood  of  Florence  there  is  a  great  scare  fy  of 
vater.  Reservoirs  are  prepared  in  every  palace  and  convent  *i  save 
the  rain-water,  which  is 'done  by  means  of  pipes  fitted  to  the  cf^-*  of 
the  roofs,  which  convey  the  water  into  the  reservoirs.  TL<'9.>  are 
aiide  very  deep,  in  order  to  hold  sufficient  for  summer  ujc 


76  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

Strife,  and  so  fatally,  that  under  an  able  hand  it  would 
make  a  good  subject  for  a  tragedy. 

The  novices  have  no  suspicion  that  such  scenes  as  these 
related  can  possibly  find  a  place  among  men  who  seem 
exempt,  judging  from  outward  appearances,  from  the 
ordinary  frailties  of  human  nature.  They  are,  neverthe- 
less, admonished  not  to  give  way  to  anger  or  hatred; 
and  the  admonition,  in  order  to  make  a  more  lasting  im- 
pression, is  conveyed  by  some  example,  which  having 
its  foundation  in  truth  is  wound  up  by  calling  in  the 
agency  of  departed  spirits — the  usual  mode  of  imparting 
moral  instruction  practised  by  monks.  I  recollect  one 
of  those  examples,  and  in  order  to  give  the  reader  some 
idea  of  monkish  instruction,  I  shall  relate  it  here. 

In  the  convent  of  the  Capuchins  at  Frascati,  there  is 
a  large  room  on  the  ground-floor,  which  is  now  used  as 
a  lumber-room  for  old  chairs,  tables,  images,  pictures, 
angels,  and  all  the  other  paraphernalia  and  apparatus 
which  are  used  for  decorating  a  popish  church  on  solemn 
occasions.  A  stranger,  upon  seeing  the  confused  medley 
of  paste-board  saints,  half-daubed  pictures,  and  stucco 
images,  with  which  this  room  is  thronged,  would  not  im- 
mediately be  able  to  decide  what  use  they  could  possibly 
be  converted  to,  and  would,  after  some  reflection,  come 
to  the  conclusion  that  they  belonged  to  the  manager  of 
some  theatre,  or  that  they  are  a  collection  of  idols  col- 
lected by  some  merchant  for  the  East  India  market.  In 
the  middle  of  the  room  there  is  a  circular  mark  of  about 
four  feet  in  diameter,  which,  from  its  being  two  or  three 
inches  below  the  level  of  the  floor,  is  easily  taken  notice 
of.  The  tradition  connected  with  this  spot  forms  the 
example  by  which  novices  are  admonished  to  take  care 
that  hatred  never  become  master  of  their  better  feelings. 
This  room  was  the  refectory,  and  continued  to  be  used 
as  such  for  many  years  after  the  building  of  the  convent. 
The  reason  why  it  is  no  longer  used  for  this  purpose  is 
stated  to  be  the  following : — There  lived  in  the  convent, 
some  hundred  years  ago,  two  monks  who  entertained  a 
deadly  hatred  for  each  other.     This  hatred  continued, 


MONASTERIi;^    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  77 

without  any  intermission,  until  one  of  them  was  on  the 
point  of  being  called  away  from  this  world.  On  his 
death-bed  he  expressed  a  desire  to  be  reconciled  to  his 
enemy,  and  begged  the  superior  to  call  him  to  his  room 
for  that  purpose.  The  other  at  first  refused  to  go ;  but 
the  commands  of  the  superior,  united  to  his  representa- 
tions, at  last  prevailed.  He  approached  his  dying  enemy, 
and  granted  him  apparently  his  forgiveness,  and  was 
seemingly  reconciled  to  him  ;  but,  while  in  the  act  of 
leaving  the  room,  he  whispered  to  one  of  the  other  monks 
that,  "  Because  he  was  dying  now,  he  sought  his  par- 
don ;  whereas,  while  in  health,  he  had  let  slip  no  oppor- 
tunity to  do  him  injury;"  which  words,  being  overlieard< 
by  the  dying  man,  caused  him  to  go  into  so  great  a  rage, 
that  he  expired  while  endeavouring  to  utter  curses  and 
maledictions  against  his  inveterate  enemy.  Some  days 
after  his  death,  as  the  monks  were  assembled  to  dinner 
in  the  refectory,  the  conversation  turned  upon  the  un- 
happy death  of  their  defunct  brother.  One  represented 
to  the  superior  the  necessity  of  having  a  number  of 
masses  celebrated  for  the  repose  of  his  soul  ;  while 
another  argued,  that  there  was  no  use  in  throwing 
away  masses  on  one  who,  in  all  probability,  was  howl- 
ing in  the  regions  of  the  damned.  The  conversation 
was  carried  on  in  this  way  for  some  time,  when  lo  ! 
the  subject  of  it  himself  made  his  appearance  to  the 
astonished  and  trembling  monks,  encompassed  with 
flames  of  fire,  and  heavily  laden  with  fiery  chains.  Ad- 
dressing the  superior,  he  said,  "  That  he  was  confined  ;n 
the  regions  of  the  wicked  for  all  eternity,  on  account  of 
his  dying  in  anger  Avith  his  brother."  Then,  turning 
toward  his  enemy,  who  stood  pale  and  trembling  in  his 
presence,  he  roared  out  with  a  voice  of  thunder,  mixed 
with  a  hellish  laugh,  "  Thou  wretch  !  thou,  who  hast 
been  the  cause  of  my  damnation,  prepare  thyself  to  ac- 
company me,  for  that  I  might  bring  thee  with  me  have  I 
obtained  permission  to  leave  my  place  of  torment  for  a 
few  moments.  Come,  then,  and  suffer  with  me,  as  the 
pleasure  cf  seeing  thee  suffer  is  the  only  one  I  can  have 
for  all  eternity."  Thus  saying,  he  took  hold  of  him  bv 
8* 


78  '        SIX   TEARS    JN   THE 

the  beard,*  and  dragged  him  into  the  middle  of  the  re- 
fectory, where,  the  ground  opening  under  them,  both 
disappeared,  leaving  the  other  monks  almost  dead  with 
fear  and  astonishment,  and  nearly  suffocated  from  the 
stench  with  which  the  refectory  was  filled.  The  open- 
ing left  after  their  descent  could  not  be  filled  up,  although 
many  horses  were  employed  for  some  days  in  bringing 
rubbish  to  throw  into  it ;  but  in  vain,  till  a  part  of  the 
true  cross,  preserved  in  the  cathedral  church  at  Frascati, 
was  brought  to  the  convent,  accompanied  by  the  bishop 
and  clergy  in  procession,  and  singing  the  litany  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin,  which  being  held  over  the  vacuum,  the 
r  earth  closed  of  its  own  accord  with  the  same  celerity  it 
had  before  opened.  A  new  refectory  was  then  built  in 
another  part  of  the  convent,  and  the  old  one  converted 
into  a  lumber-room,  as  has  been  already  related. 

The  foregoing  occurrence,  just  as  I  have  related  it,  is 
registered  in  the  convent  books,  and  deposited  in  the 
archives  of  the  order,  whence  it  has  been  drawn  forth  to 
serve  as  an  example  to  future  monks  of  the  evil  conse- 
quences attending  anger  and  hatred.  The  reader  may 
make  his  own  reflections  upon  it,  and  believe  it,  or  not, 
as  he  may  feel  inclined.  The  fundamental  parts  are 
probably  true,  while  the  marvellous  had  been  added,  to 
attract  greater  devotion  toward  the  wood  of  the  cross, 
and  to  prove,  by  an  alleged  miracle,  the  great  respect 
and  adoration  which  should  be  paid  to  that  so  called  holy 
relic.  But  of  this  more  will  be  said  under  the  head  of 
*^  relics.^' 

*  The  Capuchins  wear  beards,  in  imitation  of  their  founder,  St. 
Francis,  who  is  represented  with  a  long  carroty  beard,  in  pictures  of 
him  painted  by  order  of  the  Capuchins.  The  Observants,  on  the 
contrary,  another  branch  of  the  Franciscans,  wear  no  beards,  and 
therefore  paint  the  same  saint  without  any.  This  difference  has  been 
the  cause  of  great  disturbance  between  these  two  branches  of  the 
order.  Was  if  not  rather  in  imitation  of  the  ancient  Magi,  that  the 
Capuchins  determined  upon  wearing  their  beards  1  Very  probably 
it  was ;  for  we  see,  from  the  history  of  all  ages,  that  impostors  are 
fond  of  having  some  distinctive  mark,  either  in  dress  or  in  the  habit 
of  the  body,  by  which  they  may  attract  the  notice  of  the  dupes  upon 
whom  they  design  to  practise  their  impositions. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  79 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

Termination  of  novitiate — Votes  of  the  other  monks  required  before 
the  novice  can  be  admitted  to  profession — Ceremonies  used  at  the 
profession  of  a  monk — The  monastic  vows — Good  and  bad  monks 
— Story  of  a  bad  monk — Monkish  persecutions — The  bad  monk's 
flight  from  Turin — How  treated  by  the  general  at  Rome — His 
secularization — Expenses  incurred  before  he  could  obtain  it — The 
bad  monk  turned  into  a  zealous  preacher  of  the  gospel — Classifi- 
cation of  monks. 

The  year  of  novitiate  being  expired,  the  novice  is 
asked,  by  the  superior,  if  he  be  desirous  of  profession, 
that  is,  if  he  wish  to  take  the  solemn  vows  of  the  order. 
The  votes  of  the  other  friars  are  taken,  in  the  mean  time, 
in  private  ;  and  if  the  novice  have  a  majority  of  them  in 
his  favour,  it  is  optional  with  him  to  profess  or  not. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  have  not  the  majority  of  votes, 
he  is  dismissed  without  profession.  This  may  also 
be  the  reason  that  novices  are  kept  separate  from  the 
other  monks  during  the  year  of  novitiate,  because  it  is 
feared  that,  upon  leaving  the  order,  either  at  their  own 
desire,  because  unwilling  to  make  their  profession,  or 
being  expelled,  and  therefore  not  allowed  to  make  it,  they 
might  be  induced,  if  they  had  it  in  their  power,  to  make 
known  to  the  world  the  lives  and  practices  of  monks  as 
they  really  are — not  as  they  are  represented — and  thereby 
injure  the  order,  and  lessen  it  in  the  opinion  of  the  pub- 
lic. They  are,  therefore,  strictly  confined  to  their  own 
separate  part  of  the  convent  till  after  their  profession ; 
because  then,  and  not  before,  the  order  has  power  over 
them,  and  can  punish  them,  and  take  measures  to  pre- 
vent their  tattling  the  secrets  of  the  order,  if  so  they 
should  be  inclined.  Profession  delivers  the  monk,  in 
every  Roman  Catholic  country,  to  the  entire  manage- 
ment of  his  superior ;  there  is  no  other  tribunal  to  ap- 
peal to,  if  he  be  oppressed ;  the  superior  can  imprison. 


80  SIX    YEARS    IN   THE 

and  do  what  he  pleases  with  him,  for  the  remainder  of 
his  Ufe. 

Very  few  vohmtarily  refuse  profession,  even  though 
they  might  not  like  the  life  of  a  monk ;  being  afraid  of 
incurring  the  indignation  of  their  families,  or  of  being 
ridiculed  by  their  acquaintances.  Some  without  a  grain 
of  vocation  are  most  desirous  of  it,  because  they  well 
know,  that  they  shall  enjoy  more  liberty  then,  than  when 
they  were  simple  novices.  Many  are  obliged  to  return 
to  their  secular  pursuits,  not  having  had — fortunately 
enough  for  themselves — the  majority  of  the  votes  in 
their  favour.  If,  however,  they  should  wish  to  remain  for 
another  year  in  the  capacity  of  simple  novices,  they  are 
sometimes  allowed  to  do  so ;  and  at  the  expiration  of  that 
time,  they  are  solemnly  professed,  if  they  have  the  ma- 
jority of  votes.  Cases  of  this  kind,  however,  seldom 
occur.  As  for  myself,  I  was  so  unfortunate  (for  misfor- 
tune it  certainly  was,  though  I  did  not  think  so  at  the 
time)  as  to  have  the  votes  of  nearly  the  whole  com- 
munity in  my  favour,  and  therefore  on  answering  in  the 
affirmative  to  the  superior's  question  of  "  whether  I  was 
desirous  of  making  a  solemn  profession  ?"  there  was 
nothing  to  prevent  me  from  binding  myself  for  ever  to  a 
state  of  life  and  to  the  practice  of  a  religion  which,  on 
closer  and  fuller  examination,  I  was  led  to  consider  as 
sinful  and  erroneous.  I  had  not,  when  I  gave  my  assent 
to  be  professed,  any  cause  to  dislike  the  kind  of  life  I  had 
embraced,  nor  the  religion  I  was  on  the  point  of  becom- 
ing so  closely  connected  with.  My  idea  of  a  monkish 
life  was  formed  from  what  I  had  seen  during  the  time  I 
had  remained  a  novice,  and  being  by  nature  of  a  retired 
disposition,  such  a  manner  of  life  was  pleasing  to  me.  I 
little  suspected  at  that  time  that  I  had  more  to  learn  than 
I  was  aware  of,  in  order  to  become  a  good  monk ;  that  is 
— a  something  between  a  Christian  and  an  idolater,  as 
shall  be  fully  proved  in  another  place. 

As  for  the  Roman  Catholic  religion  in  itself  I  could  not 
possibly  have  any  dislike  to  it  at  that  time,  for,  first,  I  did 
not  understand  it,  and  therefore  could  not  judge  whether 
it  were  true  or  false  ;  again,  it  was  the  religion  in  which 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  81 

I  was  educated,  and  with  which  were  blended  my  fondest 
and  earliest  recollections  ;  and  it  is  well  known,  that  the 
prejudices  of  education  and  of  early  habits  are  not  worn 
away  in  an  instant.  Besides,  I  had  never,  though  born  in 
a  Protestant  country,  seen  Christianity  under  any  other 
aspect,  than  as  she  appears  in  the  church  of  Rome.  I 
had  no  friend  to  direct  me  to  "  search  the  Scriptures" 
for  light,  or  to  give  me  a  knowledge  of  vital  godliness. 
My  ideas  were  popish,  my  manners  were  popish,  my 
whole  soul  and  body,  in  fine,  were  entirely  at  the  pope's 
service,  nor  would  I  have  thought  it  too  much,  so  great 
was  my  zeal  for  popery  at  that  time,  to  lay  down  my  life 
in  defence  of  his  authority.  So  far,  therefore,  from  doubt- 
ing of  the  truth  of  any  of  the  absurd  doctrines  of  Roman- 
ism, I  considered  all  and  every  one  of  them,  without  any 
farther  examination,  as  the  genuine  dictates  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  and  would  as  soon  be  led  into  the  belief  of  my 
own  non-existence,  as  to  that  of  the  pope's  establishing 
an  erroneous  doctrine  for  an  article  of  the  Christian  faith. 
During  the  year  of  my  novitiate,  however,  I  sometimes 
was  tempted  to  consider  the  stories  of  the  breviary  as 
rather  insulting  to  human  reason,  and  to  think  that  the 
marvellous  tales,  under  which  my  master-novice  conveyed 
his  instructions,  were  a  little  out  of  the  way  of  common 
sense  ;  but  all  such  thoughts  I  resisted  as  temptations  of 
the  devil,  and  therefore  mortal  sins,  if  not  fought  against. 
I  always,  in  my  private  confessions  to  the  superior,  ac- 
cused myself  of  such  doubts  as  these,  and  he,  to  be  sure, 
knew  how  to  work  on  my  mind,  already  weakened  by  su- 
perstition, so  as  to  bring  it  entirely  under  his  own  control ; 
and  even  to  make  me  wish,  that  the  things  proposed  to 
my  belief  were  ten  times  more  incredible,  that  I  might 
have  the  more  merit  in  believing  them.  I  was  divested 
altogether  of  the  faculty  of  judging  and  thinking  for  my- 
self, and  so  passive  was  the  submission  I  made  of  myself 
into  the  hands  of  others,  that  I  verily  believe,  they  might 
have  persuaded  me  with  the  same  degree  of  ease  to  offer 
incense  at  .the  shrine  of  an  Egyptian  crocodile,  as  to  pour 
forth  my  Ave  Marias  before  the  image  of  a  Madonna — 
as  absurd,  though  not  altogether  so  revolting  a  way  of 


82  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

paying  homage  to  the  Supreme  Being,  ft  may  then  be 
supposed  that  I  was  in  no  state  of  mind  to  withhold  my 
consent  from  what  I  was  expected  to  do  at  the  expiration 
of  the  year's  novitiate  ;  and  when  asked  by  the  superior, 
I  was  greatly  rejoiced,  and  immediately  consented  to  bind 
myself  by  a  solemn  vow  to  adhere  till  death  to  the  profes- 
sion of  a  monk. 

The  ceremonies  used  at  the  profession  of  a  novice  are 
nearly  similar  to  those  practised  at  his  taking  the  habit. 
The  superior,  as  usual,  is  the  principal  actor.  He  cele- 
brates the  mass  and  gives  the  communion  to  the  novice, 
before  he  pronounces  his  vows.  After  the  mass  is  finish- 
ed, he  ascends  the  steps  of  the  altar,  where  sitting  in  a 
chair  of  state,  set  apart  designedly  for  ecclesiastical  cere- 
monies, he  receives  the  hands  of  the  novice  within  his 
own,  while  the  latter  in  a  loud  voice  pronounces  distinct- 
ly the  following  vow  : — "  lo,  fra  N ,  faccio  voto  e 

prometto  al  Dio  Onnipotente,  alia  beata  Maria  sempre 
Vergine,  ai  beati  apostoli  Pietro  e  Paulo,  al  nostro  beato 
padre  Francesco,  a  tutti  li  santi  del  cielo  ed  a  te,  padre, 
tutto  il  tempo  della  vita  mia  osservare  la  regola  dei  Frati 
Minori,  dal  Signor  Onorio  Papa  confermata,  vivendo  in 
ubbedienza,  senza   proprio,   ed  in   castita.     (I,  brother 

N ,  make  a  vow,  and  promise  to  Almighty  God  ;  to 

the  blessed  Mary  ever  Virgin  ;  to  the  blessed  apostles 
Peter  and  Paul ;  to  our  blessed  father  Francis  ;  to  all 
the  saints  of  heaven,  and  to  thee,  O  father,  to  observe, 
during  my  whole  life,  the  rule  of  the  Minor  Friars,  by  our 
Lord  Pope  Honorius  confirmed  ;  and  to  live  in  obedience, 
in  poverty,  and  in  chastity.)  The  superior  then  says, 
still  keeping  the  novice's  hands  enclosed  in  his  own  : — 
Ed  io,  da  parte  di  Dio,  se  queste  cose  osserverai,  ti 
prometto  la  vita  eterna,"  (And  I,  on  the  part  of  God, 
promise  thee  eternal  life,  if  thou  wilt  keep  these  pro- 
mises.) The  other  monks  answer,  "  Amen."  The  new 
professed  after  this  receives  the  kiss  of  peace  from  his 
brethren,  whilst  the  choir  is  chanting  the  psalm,  "  Ecce 
quam  bonum,  et  quam  jucundum,  habitare,  fratres,  in 
unum."  (How  good  and  pleasant  it  is,  brethren,  to  live 
together.)     The  day  of  profession,  like  that  of  taking  the 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  83 

habit,  is  observed  as  a  festival  by  the  monks ;  and  many- 
friends  being  invited  to  a  sumptuous  entertainment,  it 
passes  over  in  the  same  way  as  the  latter,  amidst  mirth 
and  jollity,  their  usual  method  of  showing  forth  gladness 
on  extraordinary  occasions  ;  though  it. may  be  presumed, 
that  the  sight  of  a  good  dinner  has  as  much  tendency, 
perhaps  more,  to  excite  their  mirth,  as  the  addition  of  a 
new  member  to  their  community. 

The  day  of  profession  is  an  era  in  the  life  of  a  monk 
from  which  he  may  date  either  the  happiness  or  misery 
of  his  future  life  ;  understanding  for  the  moment  happi- 
ness and  misery  in  the  sense  of  those,  who  place  it  in 
the  enjoyment  or  non-enjoyment  of  the  things  of  this 
world.  If  he  be  a  good  monk ;  that  is,  if  he  forget  all 
the  duties  which  he  owes  to  society  ;  if  he  exert  all  his 
powers  and  talents  to  promote  one  great  object — the  good 
of  the  order;  if,  in  order  to  more  speedily  arrive  at  this 
end,  he  endeavour,  pro  virili,  to  brutalize  the  minds  of 
the  people  by  teaching  them  the  fables  and  other  mon- 
strous absurdities  invented  by  Rome  to  maintain  her 
sway  over  them,  if  he  do  all  these  things,  he  may  be 
sure  of  being  esteemed  a  good  and  faithful  monk,  and 
may  reasonably  expect  to  lead  a  happy  life,  as  far  as 
worldly  honours  and  ecclesiastical  dignities  can  make  it  so. 
If,  on  the  other  hand,  he  be  troubled  with  a  rather  deli- 
cate conscience  ;  that  is,  if  he  dare  examine  for  himself, 
whether  the  things  he  is  commanded  to  do  for  the  good 
of  the  order  be  strictly  just ;  or  if,  on  becoming  better 
acquainted  with  it,  he  refuse  to  exert  himself  to  the  utmost 
for  its  advantage  ;  if  in  his  sermons  he  manifest  a  greater 
zeal  for  bringing  sinners  to  repentance,  than  in  making 
panegyrics  on  saints  ;  if  he  preach  Christ  and  him  cru- 
cified as  the  siiiner's  hope,  instead  of  directing  him  to  the 
intercession  of  the  Madonna,  St.  Francis,  or  of  some 
other  saint ;  if,  in  fine,  he  act  in  this  guise,  it  is  more 
than  probable,  nay,  it  is  an  absolute  certainty,  that  his 
life  will  be  rendered  miserable ;  he  will  be  treated  as  a 
heretic,  as  one  unfaithful  to  his  vows,  and  as  one  who 
considers  the  good  of  the  order  of  no  consequence,  and 
therefore  necessarily  a  bad  monk.     He  will  be  persecuted 


84  SIX   YEARS   IN  THE 

by  his  fellow  monks,  his  actions  and  words  will  be 
strictly  watched,  in  order  to  find  a  pretext  for  suspending 
him  from  his  clerical  functions  :  this  pretext,  because  de- 
sired, will  be  soon  found,  and  then  he  is  transported  from 
convent  to  convent,  or  exiled  to  some  remote  part  of  the 
province,  where  he  will  be  confined  to  the  bounds  of  the 
cloister,  or,  at  least,  to  the  garden,  detested  by  all  and 
esteemed  by  none.  His  life  will  thus  pass  away  between 
vexations  and  oppressions,  and  while  cursing  his  unfor- 
tunate condition,  ihe  will  date  his  misery  from  the  day  he 
first  forfeited  his  liberty  at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  when 
making  a  solemn  vow  to  observe  things,  which,  he  is 
convinced  by  farther  examination,  are  in  themselves 
sinful,  because  contrary  to  the  precepts  of  the  gospel, 
and  at  variance  with  the  institutes  by  which  society  is 
kept  together. 

The  foregoing  is  a  true  picture,  drawn  from  experience, 
of  the  life  of  a  good  and  bad  monk.  Heretics,  I  fear, 
will  I'egard  the  latter — God  help  their  judgment! — as 
moi'e  deserving  the  epithet  of  '■'■  goocV  than  the  former. 
Concedo,  be  it  granted,  but  then  '■'■good''''  should  not  be 
coupled  with  the  substantive  "  7nonk,'''  for,  as  metaphysi- 
cia,is  say  "  omne  ens  est  bonum  quoad  se,"  (every  being 
is  good  as  to  itself,)  so  also,  the  latter  may  be  good 
'^^  quoad  hominem,^^  but  bad,  very  bad  ''quoad  ens" 
that  is,  as  to  his  profession  of  a  monk.  But,  metaphy- 
sical reasoning  apart,  it  is  evident,  that  a  good  monk 
means  one  of  the  genus  "  homo,"  who  is  half-Christian 
and  whole-idolater,  (excuse  the  bull,)  who  idolizes  his 
order,  and  fixes  all  his  hopes  of  salvation  in  the  merits  to 
be  acquired  by  benefiting  it ;  who  stops  at  nothing  to  at- 
tain that  end  ;  and  who,  if  Christ  and  his  religion  should 
at  any  time  have  a  place  in  his  thoughts,  I'egards  them  as 
things  of  secondary  consideration,  and  to  be  placed  next 
in  rank,  or  at  farthest  on  a  par  with  Francis  and  his  rule.* 

*  The  above  will,  perhaps,  be  considered  by  many  as  amplification ; 
thinking  it  impossible,  that  any  body  of  men,  who  go  under  tlie  name 
of  Christians,  could,  whatever  be  the  errors  of  their  doctrines,  so  far 
forget  themselves  as  to  rank  Christ  and  his  gospel  with  their  own  in- 
ventions.   But  let  those  who  argue  thus,  examine  the  page  of  history, 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  85 

A.  bad  monk,  on  the  other  hand — and  would  to  God, 
there  were  more  of  such  monks — is  he,  who  not  being 
wholly  dead  to  all  sense  of  religion,  wishes  to  act  con- 
scientiously toward  God  and  toward  his  fellow  men, 
leaving  to  others  the  office  of  benefiting  the  order ;  espe- 
cially when  that  cannot  be  done  without  trampling  under 
foot  the  duties  he  owes  to  God  and  to  society.  He  con- 
siders his  obligations  to  the  latter  of  far  greater  moment 
than  those  he  is  under  to  his  order,  and  therefore  endea- 
vours to  fulfil  them,  though  at  the  same  time  he  is  injur- 
ing the  interests  of  the  former ;  for  the  particular  interest 
of  his  order  seldom  or  never  can  be  promoted  but  at  the 
expense  and  subversion  of  society  and  of  religion.  Who 
then  would  hesitate  to  choose  between  serving  God,  by 
executing  His  commands,  relative  to  the  duties  due  to 


where  they  will  find  recorded  the  diabolical,  enthusiastic  frenzy  of  the 
Franciscans  of  the  fourteenth  century,  who  impiously  maintained 
that  the  founder  of  their  order  was  a  second  Christ,  in  all  respects 
similar  to  the  first ;  and  that  their  institutions  and  discipline  were 
the  true  gospel  of  Jesus.  History  also  informs  us,  that  a  Franciscan 
monk  of  the  name  of  Albizi,  a  native  of  Pisa,  published  a  book  in 
1383, — and  with  the  applause  and  permission  of  his  order  too,  re- 
member,— whereby  he  compares  Saint  Francis,  that  madman  and  im- 
postor,  with  Jesus  Christ,  the  Lord  and  giver  of  life  ;  and  that  farrago 
of  absurdities — the  rule  of  St,  Francis — with  the  Christian's  treasure, 
the  holy  gospels  themselves ! ! — But  why  should  we  make  so  great 
a  wonder  of  simple  theories,  when  we  are  so  indifferent  to  the  practice 
of  them,  placed  before  our  eyes  daily  ]  Do  we  not  see  Christ  and 
his  atonement  continually  and  every  hour  postponed  to  human  inven- 
tions, even  in  this  very  country,  where  the  gospel  is  said  to  triumph  ] 
To  what  else  do  all  the  anti-scriptural  tenets  of  popery  tend,  than  to 
draw  off  the  attention  of  Christians  from  the  all-sufficient  atonement 
of  Christ,  in  order  to  fix  it  upon  something  else — to  fix  it  upon  the 
adoration  of  the  creature,  instead  of  the  Creator — by  which  the 
inventors  of  such  tenets  are  benefited,  though  at  the  expense  of  the 
souls  of  those  committed  to  their  charge  1  Yet  people,  who  would 
be  startled  at  the  simple  theory,  pass  over,  as  trifles,  practices,  hideous 
practices  of  this  nature ;  people  pass  them  over  as  things  too  common 
to  be  any  longer  wondered  at,  or  even  worthy  of  remark  ;  and  cha- 
ritably doubt,  whether  such  abuses  be  not  rather  the  effects  of  unde- 
signed corruption  than  of  any  fixed  theory. — Indeed,  it  is  to  be  fear- 
ed, that  charity  is  but  too  often  another  name  for  indifference  for  the 
truth,  as  it  is  in  Jesus. 


86  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

Himself  and  to  His  other  creatures  ;  and  serving  Mam- 
mon, by  providing  for  the  interests  of  Mammon.  This 
hesitation,  however,  in  choice  is  made  by  the  good  monk  ; 
or  rather  the  service  of  Mammon  is  chosen  without  any 
hesitation ;  while  the  bad  monk  chooses  the  service  of 
his  Creator,  and  therefore  is  characterized  by  the  other 
with  the  epithet  of  "bad,"  and  unfaithful  to  his  vows. 

The  story  of  a  young  man,  who  was  for  many  years 
the  victim  of  monkish  persecutions,  and  with  whom  I 
had  a  short  acquaintance  before  his  escape  from  the  iron 
grasp  of  monachism,  has  in  it  something  so  appropriate 
to  the  present  subject,  that  I  cannot  refrain  from  relating 
it.  He  was  a  native  of  Chambery,  the  capital  of  Savoy. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen,  he  crossed  the  Alps  and  went  to 
Turin,  where  he  embraced  the  monastic  life  under  the 
rule  of  St.  Francis.  He  passed  through  the  year  of  pro- 
bation without  having  had  any  difficulty  thrown  in  his 
way  by  which  he  could  be  deterred  from  continuing  in 
that  state,  and  at  the  expiration  of  the  accustomed  time, 
he  was  solemnly  professed.  He  then  began  the  study  of 
philosophy,  and  although  the  course  of  metaphysics — 
that  part  of  philosophy,  most  studied  by  the  monks,  be- 
cause the  most  incomprehensible — which  lie  was  obliged 
to  read,  is  carefully  adapted  to  substantiate  the  doctrines 
of  the  Romish  church  ;  he  found,  notwithstanding,  his 
belief,  not  only  in  that  church,  but  also  in  Christianity 
itself,  weakened  by  making  use  of  his  reasoning  powers. 
It  is  true,  he  knew  Christianity  only  in  the  corrupt 
form  under  which  it  appears  in  the  church  of  Rome  :  he 
was  wholly  ignorant  of  Bible  Christianity,  and  therefore 
more  worthy  of  excuse  on  that  account ;  especially  when 
he  had  no  one  to  direct  him  to  the  fountain  of  life.  The 
poison  of  infidelity  stole  imperceptibly  over  his  mind, 
and  he  had  scarcely  finished  his  course  of  philosophy 
before  he  found  himself  a  confirmed  skeptic.  He  grew 
lukewarm  in  his  belief  of  the  ridiculous  doctrines  of 
Romanism,  and  however  his  station  in  life  obliged  him  to 
conceal  it,  he  secretly  laughed  at  the  foolish  inventions 
of  that  church.  The  study  of  popish  theology — and  in- 
deed it  deserves  the  name  of  popish  rather  than  that  of 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  87 

Christian — oi>ly  directed  his  unbelief  into  another  chan- 
nel ;  for  it  led  him  to  see,  though  indistinctly,  that  there 
was  some  foundation  for  Christianity,  but  that  it  was  cor- 
rupted by  those  who  had  the  government  of  Christ's 
church  in  their  hands.  This  he  learned,  partly  from  the 
objections  made  to  the  innovations  of  the  church  of  Rome 
by  scriptural  Christians,  and  which  are  set  down  in  the 
School  Theology  in  order  to  be  answered  ;  and  partly 
from  the  detached  portions  of  Scripture,  which  are  scat- 
tered up  and  down  in  the  breviary. 

He  now  began  to  pant  after  the  liberty  of  worshipping 
God  according  to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience  ;  but 
alas  !  he  was  bound,  and  in  the  chains  of  monastic  slave- 
ry, which  were  more  tolerable  to  him  while  he  was  an 
infidel,  than  now,  when  he  saw  the  truth  and  could  not 
embrace  it.  He  was  ordained  in  the  mean  time,  and  sent 
to  preach  some  time  after,  to  a  town  on  the  Alps,  called 
Susa.  Here  he  endeavoured  to  preach  Christ  and  him 
crucified  to  the  people,  instead  of  enforcing  devotion  to 
the  Madonna.  On  being  requested  by  the  parish  priest 
to  preach  a  panegyric  in  honour  of  the  patron  saint  of 
the  town,  he  could  not  refuse  ;  but  acquitted  himself  in 
so  awkward  a  manner,  and  in  so  very  few  words,  changing 
his  discourse  to  his  favourite  theme  of  redemption  through 
Christ,  that  he  incurred  the  displeasure  of  the  priest,  who 
boldly  accused  him  of  heresy.  The  same  priest  imme- 
diately wrote  to  his  superior  in  Turin,  requesting  that  he 
might  be  removed  ;  and  giving  his  reasons  for  the  request. 
He  was  accordingly  recalled.  Upon  his  arrival  at  Turin 
he  was  summoned  before  a  chapter  of  his  order,  to  give 
an  account  of  his  conduct.  He  endeavoured  to  excul- 
pate himself  as  well  as  he  could  ;  simply  stating  facts  as 
they  were.  When  asked  why  he  had  not  preached  the 
panegyric,  as  he  was  requested  to  do  by  the  parish  priest ; 
he  replied,  that  he  was  unacquainted  with  the  life  of  the 
patron  saint,  and  therefore  had  no  materials  wherewith 
to  compose  one  ;  and  that  his  conscience  would  not  per- 
mit him  to  draw  from  his  own  imagination — the  general 
plan  adopted  by  those  who  preach  panegyrics  on  saints. 
This  excuse  was  deemed  insufficient,  and  he  was  there- 


88  SIX    YEARS   IN    THE 

fore  formally  suspended  from  the  office  of  preaching, 
as  being  a  person  suspected  of  unsound  doctrines. 

Now  began  his  life  of  misery.  Every  action,  every 
word  of  his  was  strictly  watched.  He  was  sent  from 
convent  to  convent,  through  almost  every  part  of  the 
province,  and  could  find  no  place  wherein  he  could  get 
a  moment's  repose  from  the  persecutions  of  his  brethren. 
He  was  looked  upon  by  all  as  one  who  was  a  disgrace 
to  their  order,  and  who  was  unwilling  to  labour  for  its 
advantages.  At  length,  tired  out  and  harassed  from  such 
unrelenting  persecutions,  he  determined  upon  escaping 
to  Rome,  in  order  to  lay  his  case  before  the  general  of 
the  order.  If  he  stirred  one  step  without  a  written  leave 
from  his  local  superior,  he  would  be  considered  by  the 
rules  of  the  order  an  apostate  ;  and  punished  as  such 
accordingly.  He,  nevertheless,  although  well  aware  of 
the  existence  of  such  a  law,  chose  rather  to  run  the  risk 
than  be  any  longer  exposed  to  the  unremitting  persecu- 
tion of  his  adversaries.  Upon  his  arrival  at  Rome,  he 
was  forthwith  imprisoned  by  order  of  the  general ;  the 
superior  at  Turin  having  written  before  him  for  that  pur- 
pose, stating  his  suspicions  that  he  was  not  a  person  of 
sound  Roman  Catholic  doctrines.  He  was  now  sus- 
pended from  celebrating  mass,  and  kept  ar  close  prisoner 
for  three  months,  while  in  the  mean  time  his  family  was 
spending  money  in  petitioning  the  pope  to  have  his  case 
investigated.  When  these  petitions  on  the  part  of  his 
friends  came  to  the  knowledge  of  the  general,  they  only 
served  to  increase  the  rigour  with  which  the  unfortunate 
young  man  was  treated  ;  for  nothing  is  thouglit  so  crimi- 
nal in  a  monk  as  to  appeal  to  another  tribunal  from  that 
of  his  own  order.  Being  at  last,  through  the  interest  of 
a  cardinal,  who  had  a  friendship  for  his  family,  permitted 
to  plead  his  own  cause,  he  ably  and  forcibly  exposed  to 
the  ecclesiastical  court  the  wrongs  and  injuries  whic?i 
had  been  done  him,  and  the  absolute  necessity  he  was 
under  of  leaving  Turin,  even  at  the  hazard  of  being 
thought  an  apostate  ;  because  he  could  no  longer  bear  with 
the  unchristian  treatment  and  violent  persecutions  with 
which  he  was  pursued  by  his  brother  monks.     He  con- 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  89 

eluded  his  address  by  entreating  the  court  for  permission 
to  suppUcate  the  pope  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  a  dis- 
pensation from  his  vows,  and  of  being  permitted  to  leave 
the  order  altogether;  after  having  obtained  letters  of 
secularization*  from  his  holiness.  His  request  was 
grafited,  though  not  without  experiencing  some  difficulty, 
and  after  his  being  kept  three  months  longer  in  prison, 
(in  all  six  months,)  and  after  his  friends  had  spent  more 
than  eight  hundred  Roman  scudi  (about  eight  hundred  and 
fifty  American  dollars)  in  petitioning  the  papal  court.  He 
retired  after  his  release  to  his  native  town  of  Chambery, 
whence,  as  I  afterward  heard,  he  passed  into  Switzer- 
land, where  he  now  remains,  a  minister  of  the  reformed 
church  and  a  faithful  preacher  of  the  gospel.  The  latter 
part  of  his  story  I  have  learned  some  time  since  from  an 
Irish  gentleman  who  spent  some  years  in  Switzerland, 
and  who  was  acquainted  with  him  there.  He  describes 
him  as  a  zealous  and  pious  Christian,  and  as  one  who  is 
a  living  example  of  the  power  of  divine  grace  and  of  the 
various  means  used  by  God  to  bring  his  own  to  a  closer 
union  with  himself. 

The  foregoing  story  may  give  the  reader  some  idea  of 
the  hardship  and  misery  to  which  a  monk  reduces  him- 
self, who  wishes  to  do  his  duty  toward  God  and  toward 
his  fellow  men.  If  an  enlightened  mind,  assisted  by  the 
divine  influence,  should  show  him  the  errors  of  the  reli- 
gion of  which  he  is  a  member  and  minister ;  and  if  his 
conscience  should  afterward  prevent  him  from  being  sub- 
servient to  the  propagation  of  error,  he  may  expect  to 
be  treated  as  rigorously,  and  suffer  the  same  hardships, 
as  the  subject  of  the  foregoing  narrative.     Should  he  re- 

*  Secularization  means  a  brief  granted  by  the  pope  to  a  monk, 
whereby  he  is  permitted  to  leave  his  order,  and  live  as  a  secular  priest 
under  the  obedience  of  a  bishop.  This  is  with  great  difficulty 
obtained,  and  is  always  attended  with  great  expense  ;  money  being 
necessary  to  bribe  the  different  officers  who  surround  the  papal 
throne,  and  who  consider  themselves  entitled  to  a  share  of  the  plun- 
der wit5j  which  his  holiness  tills  his  coffers.  The  income  derived  by 
the  court  of  Rome  from  the  sale  of  briefs,  bulls,  and  dispensations  is 
enormous.— But  of  this,  more  in  another  place. 

9*  , 


90  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

fuse  to  fulfil  the  wishes  of  the  superior,  and  Be  backward 
in  working  for  the  good  of  the  order,  because  he  regards 
the  means  of  benefiting  it  as  injurious  to  his  neighbour, 
and  offensive  to  God  ;  he  is  then  persecuted,  imprisoned, 
and  calumniated ;  he  obtains  the  name  of  a  bad  monk, 
and  is  set  down  by  his  fellow  monks  as  one  who  had 
broken  his  vows,  and  who  dares  to  set  up  his  own  judg- 
ment in  opposition  to  the  will  of  those  to  whom  he  had 
promised  implicit  obedience,  when  he  made  his  solemn 
profession  at  the  foot  of  the  altar.  Very  few,  it  must  be 
confessed,  are  of  this  description.  Some,  perhaps,  who 
see  the  errors  in  which  they  live,  are  careless  in  correct- 
ing them,  and  do  not  wish  to  bring  themselves  into  diffi- 
culties. Some  there  are  who  see  the  errors  of  their 
ways,  also,  but  are  very  far  from  believing  in  Christianity 
under  any  form  ;  they  therefore  conform  themselves  out- 
wardly to  the  state  of  a  monk,  and  find  themselves  the 
gainers  by  it ;  for  from  this  class  the  superiors  are  chosen. 
Others  again,  whom  we  shall  distinguish  by  the  name  of 
the  brute  creation  of  monkery,  can  be  found,  who  are 
too  ignorant  to  discover  erro/,  and  therefore  swallow 
every  doctrine,  which  is  proposed  to  their  belief,  with 
the  greatest  avidity.  These  obey  their  superiors  in 
every  thing,  and  stop  at  nothing,  be  it  ever  so  contrary 
to  common  honesty,  when  their  commands  and  the  good 
of  the  order  push  them  on.  From  this  class,  the  saints 
are  manufactured.  The  fourth  class  is  composed  of 
those  whom  we  have  already  distinguished  by  the  name 
of  "  bad  monks^^  and  whose  description  has  been  given 
more  fully  in  the  beginning  of  this  chapter.  Those  who 
see  their  errors,  but  are  cold  in  correcting  them,  would 
probably  make  good  Christians  in  a  free  country,  where 
they  might  have  the  liberty  of  choosing  for  themselves  ; 
but  while  they  live  under  papal  bondage,  there  is  but 
little  hope  of  their  ever  emerging  from  the  sink  of  indif- 
ference. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  91 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Convents  of  study — The  employment,  in  which  those  monks  who 
are  void  of  talents  are  engaged — Monastic  studies — Logic — Me- 
taphysics— Its  use  in  supporting  popish  doctrines — Dogmatic  theo- 
logy— Its  evil  tendency — Mutilation  of  Scripture — Purgatory — 
Popish  theologians  —  Polemical  divinity  —  Character  of  popish 
polemics — How  they  excuse  themselves — Moral  theology — Auri- 
cular confession — Its  instrumentality  in  the  support  of  priestcraft. 

The  young  monk  is  immediately  sent  away  after  pro- 
fession, from  the  convent  in  which  he  passed  his  novi- 
tiate, or  year  of  probation,  and  placed  in  another,  which 
is  called  a  convent  of  study — in  Italian  "convento  di 
studio."  There  are  in  each  province*  many  convents 
of  this  kind,  situated  for  the  most  part  in  fertile  and  rich 
sections  of  the  country.  There  are  also  various  classes 
of  convents  for  study.  One  convent  is  fitted  up  for  the 
study  of  philosophy-;  another  for  that  of  dogmatic  the- 
ology, another  again  for  the  study  of  moral  theology. 
These  classes  are  again  subdivided  into  others  :  some 
are  set  apart  for  the  education  of  those  young  monks, 
who  were  remarked  during  the  year  of  probation  to  be 
possessed  of  talents  superior  to  their  fellow  novices ; 
some  others  are  chosen  for  those,  who,  though  not  hav- 
ing very  brilliant  talents,  are,  nevertheless,  likely  to  be 
of  advantage  to  the  order,  as  executioners  of  the  plans 
laid  down  by  those  who  are  gifted  with  superior  capa- 
city. There  are  also  other  convents,  in  which  the  herd 
of  monks  ;  i.  e.  those  we  have  distinguished  by  the 
appellation  of  "  the  brute  creation  of  monkery" — are 
huddled  together.     These  monks  are  scarcely  above  the 

*  It  should  have  been  before  remarked,  that,  according  to  monkish 
geography,  a  province  is  that  portion  of  a  country  which  is  under 
the  control,  as  to  monastic  affairs,  of  a  certain  superior  called  "  Pro- 
vincial." Every  order  has  its  own  provincial,  and  therefore  there 
p'"  as  many  provincials  as  orders  in  a  province.  The  pope's  domi- 
1     .IS  in  Italy  comprise  four  monastic  provinces. 


92  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

level  of  brutes  in  their  intellectual  powers,  and  are 
chiefly  employed — for  they  are  unfit  for  any  thing  else — 
in  mumbling  over  offices,  and  in  repeating  Ave  Marias 
before  the  image  of  a  Madonna.  They  are,  however, 
■while  young,  sent  to  a  separate  convent,  where  they  are 
taught  to  write  their  own  language  grammatically,  though 
but  few  have  talents  enough  to  succeed  even  in  that; 
and  where  they  are  taught  to  acquire  a  smattering  of 
Latin,  by  translating  into  barbarous  Italian  the  council  of 
Trent,  the  general  school-book  of  this  class,  because 
classical  Latin  is  too  difficult  for  them.  They  are  then, 
after  being  a  little  humanized  by  instruction,  scattered 
through  the  other  convents  of  the  province,  in  order  to 
serve  as  a  cloak  for  the  conduct  of  those  of  their  breth- 
ren, whose  talents  and  understanding  do  not  allow  them 
to  be  so  beastly  devout.  These  are  held  in  great  esteem 
by  the  common  people,  for  they  have  always  in  readi- 
ness some  marvellous  tale,  or  some  miracle  to  relate 
to  them,  by  which  they  increase  their  love  and  respect 
for  the  order.  After  death  a  great  many  of  them 
are  enrolled  in  the  catalogue  of  saints — thus  verifying- 
the  proverb  "  ignorance  is  the  mother  of  devotion,"  by 
deifying  after  death  men  who,  while  living,  were  not  a 
hair's  breadth  above  their  fellow  creatures,  the  brutes,  in 
intellectual  capacity. 

As  for  myself,  I  was  sent,  after  profession,  to  Rome,  and 
placed  under  the  tuition  of  a  professor,  who  was  esteem- 
ed the  most  learned  man  of  the  order  at  that  time.  And 
here,  it  will  not  be  thought,  I  hope,  foreign  to  the  present 
subject,  if  I  give  a  succinct  account  of  monastic  studies, 
and  of  the  manner  in  which  such  studies  are  conducted. 
I  give  it  the  more  willingly,  because  it  may  be  of  use  to 
do  away  with  the  erroneous  notions  of  some,  who  are 
loud  in  their  praises  of  the  great  learning  and  talents  which 
they  imagine — and  it  is  pure  imagination — can  be  found 
■within  the  walls  of  a  convent.  The  account  is  drawn 
from  my  own  experience,  and  from  observations  made 
during  the  time  I  remained  in  the  monastic  state. 

Logic  is  the  first  branch  of  knowledge  to  which  a 
monk  applies  himself,  on  commencing  his  preparations 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  93 

for  fulfilling  the  duties  which  are  afterward  to  devolve 
upon  him  in  the  course  of  his  clerical  career.  On  this, 
indeed,  his  future  progress  in  the  other  studies  chiefly 
depend,  for  they  are  all  carried  on  in  the  old,  scholastic, 
syllogistical  method.  He  is  supposed  to  have  a  perfect 
knowledge  of  the  Latin  classics  before  entering  the  order; 
though  such  a  supposition  does  not  always  correspond 
with  truth.  Many  pass  through  the  examination,  usually 
required  before  being  received  into  the  order,  more  by 
chance,  and  the  partiality  of  the  examiners,  than  on 
account  of  any  perfect  knowledge  they  possess  of  the 
things  in  which  they  are  examined.  Those,  however, 
who  are  smuggled  into  the  order  in  this  way,  usually 
take  their  place  among  the  herd  I  have  before  described 
The  treatise  on  logic,  which  is  used  in  monkish  schools, 
is  always  in  Latin.  It  is  generally  the  composition  of 
some  monk,  and  is  delivered  in  a  clear,  methodical  style, 
and  very  easy  to  be  understood — even  by  those  of  mode- 
rate capacities.  The  part  which  is  most  dwelt  upon, 
is  that  wherein  rules  are  laid  down  for  arguing  syllogis- 
tically.  Indeed  the  whole  treatise  is  manifestly  designed 
as  a  key,  with  which  to  open  the  abstruse  and  metaphy- 
sical reasoning  of  the  schoolmen,  Thomas  Aquinas,  Duns 
Scotus,  Bonaventure,  and  such  like.  Besides  the  simple 
rules,  the  students  are  also  taught  the  best  manner  of 
putting  them  in  practice,  by  holding  frequent  disputations 
among  themselves  ;  and  he  is  thought  the  best  logician 
who  can  bring  his  opponent  to  give  assent  to  a  proposi- 
tion manifestly  erroneous,  or  who  can  satisfactorily  prove 
that  two  contradictory  propositions  can  be  both  true  at 
one  and  the  same  time. 

After  having  spent  a  considerable  time  and  much 
lal^our  in  becoming  master  of  the  various  kinds  of  argu- 
ments, and  in  reducing  them  to  practice  by  continual 
exercise  among  themselves ;  the  next  thing  to  which 
their  attention  is  directed,  is  the  study  of  metaphysics. 
In  this  also  much  time  is  spent,  for  metaphysics  is  a 
species  of  knowledge  held  in  great  repute  among  monks, 
and  it  requires  a  long  time,  and  great  application,  to  get 
even  a  partial  knowledge  of  the  subtleties,  the  distino 


94  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

tions,  the  sub-distinctions,  and  divisions,  which  ars 
almost  innumerable  in  this  abstruse  science,  rendered 
still  more  abstruse  by  the  obscurity  in  which  it  is  en- 
veloped by  the  imagmations — any  thing  but  clear — of 
those  who  wrote  upon  it.  Treatises  and  volumes  are 
written  upon  things  which,  when  fully  discussed,  leave 
the  reader  no  wiser  than  before ;  nor  would  it  be  of  any 
importance,  either  to  religion  or  society,  whether  the 
same  things  were  ever  thought  upon  or  not,  or  whether 
they  should  be  one  way  rather  than  in  another.  Thus, 
a  folio  volume — yes,  a  huge  folio  ! — has  been  written  by 
some  idle  monk,  who  had  nothing  else  to  do,  upon  the 
questions,  "  whether  nothing  was  created  ?"  or  "  whether 
God,  omnipotent  as  he  is,  could,  with  all  his  unlimited 
power,  create  nothing?"  Nor  ought  it  to  be  a  subject 
for  wonder,  that  this  science  is  held  in  so  great  estima- 
tion by  monks,  whereas  the  dogmas  and  tenets  of  their 
religion,  especially  those  that  have  no  scriptural  argu- 
ments in  their  favour,  are,  in  a  great  measure,  propped 
by  arguments  drawn  from  it,  and  rendered  thereby  as  in- 
comprehensible as  a  fear  of  detection  could  desire  them. 
Demonology,  or  the  treatise  on  demons,  whether  good 
or  bad,  is  designedly  fitted  up  for  the  purpose  of  sup- 
porting the  modern  doctrine  of  purgatory — I  call  it  mo- 
dern, as  not  being  either  known  or  thought  upon  in  the 
first  ages  of  the  church.  The  different  parts,  also,  into 
which  metaphysics  is  divided,  as  ontology,  psychology, 
demonology,  and  the  other  ologies,  are  the  whetstones 
on  which  their  minds  are  sharpened  to  defend,  and  even 
to  invent,  new  doctrines  and  dogmas,  which  are  after- 
ward held  up  as  articles  of  faith  to  a  benighted  people. 

The  attention  bestowed  by  them  upon  physics  is  very 
limited,  scarcely  passing  the  bare  knowledge  of  the  first 
properties  of  bodies.  Astronomy  is  studied  hardly  at  all, 
and  the  mathematics,  though  studied,  are  yet  passed  over 
in  so  superficial  a  manner,  that  a  child  at  one  of  the 
common  schools  in  America  would  be  able  to  puzzle 
many  a  professor  of  them,  while  endeavouring  to  demon- 
strate a  proposition  of  Euclid.  The  reason  why  geome- 
try is  so  little  studied  probably  may  be,  because  they  are 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC  95 

unwilling  to  accustom  the  minds  of  the  monks  to  mathe- 
matical demonstrations,  lest  they  should  look  for  the 
same  on  other  subjects. 

The  foregoing  studies  are  considered  but  a  prelude  to 
the  study  of  dogmatical  theology.  To  this  point  all 
others  tend,  and  to  acquire  a  perfect  knowledge  of  this, 
monks  spare  neither  time  nor  labour.  It  being  that  which 
properly  belongs  to  their  profession,  they  endeavour  to 
acquire  a  thorough  knowledge  of  it,  and  if  their  individual 
talents  keep  pace  with  their  perseverance,  they  generally 
succeed.  It  has  been  remarked,  that  "  monks  of  the 
least  exemplary  life  are  generally  the  best  theologians." 
This  remark  has  certainly  its  foundation  in  truth,  for  the 
name  of  ^'■good  theologian'^  is  a  passport  to  arrive  at  the 
highest  honours  of  the  order,  and  therefore  the  ambitious, 
who  are  very  seldom  void  of  talents,  direct  all  the  ener- 
gies of  their  minds  to  the  acquisition  of  that  which  will 
be  the  probable  means  of  satisfying  their  darling  passion. 
It  must  not  be  supposed,  however,  that  a  greater  know- 
ledge of  God  and  his  attributes,  which  a  good  theologian 
is  supposed  to  possess,  necessarily  includes  also  a  greater 
love  for  God  himself.  This  would  probably  be  the  case, 
if  the  object  for  which  theology  is  studied  was  the  ad- 
vancement of  God's  kingdom,  and  not  the  exaltation  of 
self ;  but  the  latter  being  manifestly  the  real  object,  the 
knowledge  derived  from  it  never  goes  farther  than  the 
understanding,  and  is  therefore  incapable  of  touching  the 
heart. 

Besides,  the  theology  of  the  church  of  Rome  is  in  itself 
corrupt,  and  has  a  strong  tendency  to  make  the  student 
forget  the  subject  of  it — or  what  at  least  ought  to  be  the 
subject  of  it — God  ;  while  his  mind  is  employed  in  un- 
ravelling the  intricate  and  disputable  doctrines,  which, 
not  having  any  foundation  in  revelation,  are  enveloped  in 
obscure  and  unusual  forms  of  expression.  The  authority 
of  Thomas  Aquinas,  called  the  "  angelic  doctor,"  or  of 
the  "  seraphic  doctor"  Bonaventure,  are  esteemed  by 
them  of  equal  weight  with  the  express  words  of  revela- 
tion. Texts  of  Scripture,  without  their  contexts,  which 
would  best07v  on  them  a  very  different  meaning  from  that 


96  SIS    YEARS    IN    THE 

which  they  bear  when  they  stand  alone,  are  brought 
forward  in  support  of  some  particular  tenets  ;  while  all 
and  every  subject  is  treated  on  after  the  old,  syllogistic; 
method,  which  confounds  the  understanding  without  in- 
creasing the  love  for  God,  or  implanting  in  the  mind  a 
desire  of  being  guided  by  the  divine  influence  of  the 
Spirit  of  truth. 

The  portions  of  Scripture  which  are  brought  forward  to 
strengthen  any  particular  doctrine  are  all  mutilated,  that 
is,  such  as,  taking  them  apart  from  the  context,  seem  to 
favour  the  doctrine  which  is  disputed  upon;  but  if  there 
can  be  no  portion  found,  which  however  twisted  and 
turned,  yet  still  refuses  to  answer  the  occasion,  then  the 
doctrine  is  established  on  the  strength  of  tradition,  or  on 
the  "ipse  dixit"  of  a  pope;  and  not  unfrequendy  on 
quotations  from  the  apocryphal  writings.  Thus — and  let 
one  example  serve  for  all,  as  this  book  is  not  designed  for 
controversy,  but  for  a  simple  history  of  things  as  they 
are — the  doctrine  of  purgatory  is  defended  by  arguments 
taken  from  tradition,  not  even  excepting  pagan,  Jewish, 
and  Mahometan,  for,  indeed,  popish  theologians  are  not 
over  delicate  in  selecting  their  authorities,  provided  these 
authorities  favour  their  views.  Quotations  are  then  taken 
for  its  support  from  the  Apocrypha,  especially  from 
2  Maccabees  xxi.  43 — 45,  and  after  these,  they  endeavour 
to  make  the  New  Testament  speak  in  its  favour,  quoting 
from  Matt.  xii.  31,  32.  1  Cor.  iii.  15.  1  Pet.  iii.  19. 
They  care  but  little  that  the  books  of  Maccabees  have  no 
evidence  of  inspiration ;  they  answer  their  ends,  and 
therefore  are  adopted.  The  quotations  from  the  New 
Testament,  upon  examining  the  context,  will  be  found  to 
favour  as  much  the  metempsychosis  of  Pope  Pythagoras, 
as  the  purgatory  of  Pope  Joan. 

It  will  be  no  wonder,  then,  to  find  theologians  any 
thing  but  pious  men,  when  such  a  system  of  theology  as 
that  we  have  been  describing,  is  taken  into  consideration 
Indeed,  they  seem  conscious  themselves  of  this  want  of 
piety  ;  as  may  be  gathered  from  their  condemning  many 
propositions,  which  were  probably  designed  for  them,  by 
the  friends  of  vital  godliness.   Thus,  the  negative  answers 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  97 

to  the  following  questions  are  condemned  by  them  as 
heretical.  "  Whether  the  religious  knowledge  acquired 
by  a  wicked  man  can  be  termed  theology  ?"  "  Whether 
a  vicious  person  can  in  effect  obtain  a  true  knowledge  of 
religion  ?"  "  Whether  the  office  and  ministry  of  an  im- 
pious ecclesiastic  can  be  pronounced  salutary  and  effica- 
cious ?"  "  Whether  a  licentious  and  ungodly  man  can 
be  susceptible  of  divine  illumination?"  These  and  many 
such  like  propositions  are  condemned  in  the  usual  form, 
as  ^'^ scandalous,  heretical,  smelling  of  heresy,  offensive 
to  pious  ears,'"  <^-c.,  by  those  who  fear  for  themselves, 
and  feel  conscious,  that  if  they  were  not  condemned,  they 
themselves  would  be  no  longer  neither  theologians,  nor 
religionists,  nor  efficacious  priests,  nor  susceptible  of 
divine  illumination 

The  polemical  divinity  of  the  church  of  Rome,  under 
which  head  are  classed  the  works  of  all  those  who  en* 
deavour  to  defend  the  doctrines  of  that  church  against  the 
reasonings  and  scriptural  objections  of  the  friends  of  the 
gospel,  is  also  studied  with  great  attention  by  monastic 
orders.  There  are  professorships  established  in  two,  and 
sometimes  four  places  of  every  province,  where  all  those 
young  monks,  who  are  in  possession  of  superior  talents, 
are  sent  to  learn  the  manner  of  defending  their  religion 
against  the  attacks  of  heretics.  It  frequently  happens 
that  the  young  men  chosen  for  this  study  are  already  far 
gone  in  infidelity,  and  therefore  laugh  in  their  own  minds, 
and  even  among  themselves,  at  the  idea  of  being  made 
defenders  of  a  religion  in  which  they  do  not  believe. 
The  metaphysical  reasonings  of  dogmatical  theology, 
united  to  the  fables  of  the  breviary,  were  the  chief  means 
of  leading  them  into  infidelity,  while  it  is  very  probable 
that  the  study  oi polemics  will  give  them  a  knowledge  of 
reformed  Christianity,  and  thereby  make  them  suspect 
that  Christianity  might  possibly  be  true,  though  it  had 
been  corrupted  by  the  church  of  which  they  are  members. 
This,  however,  does  not  always  happen.  Those  who 
are  confirmed  infidels,  only  find  new  arguments  in  favour 
of  the  religion  of  nature,  by  becoming  acquainted  with 
the  numerous  sects  and  parties  into  which  Christianity  is 
10 


9B  SIX   YEARS    IN    THE 

divided,  and  laugh  at  them  all  accordingly.  Being  obliged 
for  self-preservation  to  dissemble  their  real  opinions,  they 
imagine  that  they  cannot  show  their  zeal  for  the  Roman 
Catholic  religion  in  a  better  way,  than  by  impugning  the 
doctrines  of  gospel  Christians,  and  defending  those  of 
popery  ;  "  for  if  it  be  necessary,"  they  argue  thus,  "  that 
Christianity  should  exist,  it  is  preferable  for  us  to  stand 
fast  in  that  particular  kind  of  it  to  which  we  are  pro- 
fessionally engaged,  and  from  which  benefits  accrue  to  us, 
than  to  interest  ourselves  in  any  other  to  which  we  are 
equally  indifferent,  and  from  which  we  can  expect  nothing 
but  persecution  and  hardships — the  sure  consequences 
of  leaving  that  by  which  we  get  our  living."  Others 
there  are,  who  become  cured  of  infidelity ;  yet  fear  to 
openly  embrace  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible.  They  pant 
after  the  freedom  of  worshipping  God  according  to  the 
dictates  of  their  consciences,  and  anxiously  wait  for  an 
opportunity  of  throwing  oflf  the  yoke  of  monkery  and 
popery,  without  running  any  personal  risk.  They,  in 
the  mean  time,  until  such  an  opportunity  presents  itself, 
endeavour  to  separate  Christianity  from  the  dust,  with 
which  it  is  enveloped  in  the  church  of  Rome,  and  while 
conforming  themselves  outwardly  to  alt  the  practices  of 
that  church,  they  inwardly,  as  far  as  they  are  able,  serve 
God  according  to  the  way  he  has  marked  out  in  his  holy 
word.  Their  sermons  and  other  clerical  duties  are  not 
performed  for  the  purpose  of  increasing  the  adherents  of 
the  church  of  Rome,  or  of  propagating  its  particular 
tenets  ;  but  for  that  of  drawing  sinners  to  repentance,  and 
to  an  unadulterated  knowledge  of  Christ,  at  least  as  far 
as  they  can  do  so  Avithout  exciting  suspicion.  Of  this 
description  of  monks  was  the  young  man  of  Chambery, 
whose  suff'erings  and  final  triumph  have  been  already  re- 
lated. Many  more  also  of  the  same  kind  might  be  found, 
who  only  wait  for  an  opportunity  to  regain  their  liberty, 
in  order  to  become  pious  and  zealous  Christians,  and 
faithful  preachers  of  the  gospel  of  salvation. 

Moral  theology  is  the  last  in  order,  though  not  in  im- 
portance, of  monastic  studies.  By  this  monks  are  fitted 
to  stand  up  in  the  place  of  Christ  in  the  confessional,  and 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALT,   ETC.  99 

to  weigh  with  scrupulous  nicety  the  degree  of  sinfulness 
attached  to  the  words,  actions,  and  even  thoughts  of  those 
who  are  so  foolish  or  so  led  astray,  as  to  trust  to  the  ab- 
solution pronounced  by  them  for  the  pardon  and  remission 
of  their  sins.  By  this,  they  are  taught  the  way  of  bring- 
ing the  minds  of  the  people  wholly  under  their  control, 
and  of  exercising  the  acquired  influence  to  the  advantage 
of  their  order  and  of  themselves.  Of  all  the  corruptions 
in  the  corrupt  system  of  popish  corruptions,  this  is  the 
most  corrupt.  As  preachers  of  corrupt  doctrines,  their  in- 
fluence over  the  people  would  never  pass  the  bounds  of 
moderation,  as  doctrines  that  fear  the  light  cannot  be  so 
well  promulgated  in  a  public  church — and  by  such  chiefly 
is  their  influence  acquired  ;  but  by  the  institution  of  au- 
ricular confessions  they  have  acquired  ingress  into  the 
minds  and  souls  of  each  individual,  and  never  fail,  after 
becoming  master  of  their  secrets,  to  turn  and  direct  the 
current  of  their  thoughts  and  actions  to  one  great  object — 
a  firm  reliance  on  the  truth  and  infallibility  of  the  church 
of  Rome ;  which  reliance  being  once  established,  they 
can  then  turn  the  minds  of  their  penitents  to  do  any  thing, 
however  offensive  to  God,  which,  according  to  them,  may 
be  of  advantage  to  the  church.  The  miserable  man  who 
had  been  excited  to  assassinate  Henry  IV.  of  France  by 
a  Jesuit  confessor,  may  be  an  example  of  the  truth  of  this 
observation.  Very  probably  the  assassin  was  a  supersti- 
tious bigot,  and  the  representations  of  his  confessor,  who 
well  knew  how  to  work  on  his  weak  mind,  excited  his 
frenzy  against  the  king,  whom  he  was  led  to  believe  a 
heretic,  and  an  enemy  of  religion.  He  therefore  ima- 
gined, that  so  far  from  offending  God  by  killing  a  heretical 
king,  he  was  only  acquiring  merit,  and  doing  an  action 
which  would  be  very  pleasing  to  the  Supreme  Being. 

On  auricular  confession  is  founded  the  vulgar  belief  of 
the  great  power  of  priests.  It  is  natural  for  the  human 
mind  to'^regard  with  a  degree  of  veneration  the  person 
of  one,  who,  it  is  led  to  think,  represents  the  person  of 
Jesus  Christ,  in  his  ministerial  office,  and  who  has  the 
faculty  of  forgiving  or  retaining  the  sins  of  the  people. 
The  priests,  well  aware  of  this  delusion,  tinder  which  the 


100  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

people  lie,  let  no  opportunity  slip  of  increasing-  it,  and 
while  tete-a-tete  and  alone  with  their  penitents,  they  have 
every  opportunity  of  inculcating,  vv^ithout  fear  of  contra- 
diction, the  most  absurd  doctrines,  and  of  giving  them  at 
the  same  time  a  most  exalted  idea  of  their  own  power 
and  greatness. 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Continuation  of  remarks  upon  moral  theology — Mortal  and  venial 
sins — Precepts  of  the  church — Prohibition  to  sell  flesh-meat  on 
Fridays  and  Saturdays — Punishment  of  those  who  transgress  the 
precept  of  fasting  —  Confession  and  communion  —  Sentence  of 
excommunication — Number  of  popish  sacraments — The  Eucha- 
rist— Anathema  of  the  Council  of  Trent  against  all  who  deny 
the  Real  Presence — Absurdity  of  that  doctrine — One  hundred 
thousand  Christs  created  every  day — Popish  inventions  for  the  sup- 
port of  the  doctrine  of  Transubstantiation — The  miraculous  cor- 
poral— Miraculous  particle — State  of  the  Jews  at  Rome — A  mule's 
testimony  to  the  truth  of  the  Real  Presence — Anecdote  of  Rabe- 
lais— Sale  of  masses — Cost  of  a  high  mass — Reflections — The 
treatise  upon  oaths — No  faith  to  be  kept  with  heretics — Dispens- 
ing power  of  priests  —  Murder  of  Protestant  clergymen  in  Ire- 
land— Jesuitical  morality. 

This  moral  theology,  the  principal  use  of  which  I 
have  endeavoured  to  give  an  idea  of  above,  is  in  itself  a 
huge  mass  of  opinions  given  by  monks,  friars,  and  other 
kinds  of  priests,  on  the  tendency  the  actions  of  their  fel- 
low creatures  have  to  hinder  or  give  claims  to  salvation. 
If  all  the  books  which  were  written  on  this  subject  were 
gathered  together,  they  would  probably  amount  to  some 
thousands  of  volumes  !  As  it  is,  they  cannot  be  digested, 
even  for  school  use,  into  a  less  compass  than  two  large 
octavos.  The  whole  system  is  evidently  founded  on  two 
imscriptural  tenets :  salvation  t>y  works;  thereby  render- 
ing of  no  avail  free  salvation  through  the  merits  of  Christ ; 
and  the  equally  unscriptural  doctrine  of  the  distinction 
between  sins  ;  some  being  denominated  mortal,  and  others 
venial.  By  reason  of  this  distinction  of  sins,  the  vari- 
ous ways  in  which  man  may  transgress  against  the  Su» 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC.  101 

preme  Being  and  against  his  laws,  and  the  various  degrees 
of  sinfulness  attached  to  such  transgressions,  are  examined 
with  the  greatest  exactness.  One  of  the  treatises,  (the 
whole  is  divided  into  separate  treatises,)  and  a  long  one  it 
is  too — is  taken  up  in  examining  the  ends  of  men's 
actions  ;  that  is,  of  the  motives  for  which  such  actions  are 
performed.  According  then,  as  such  actions,  though  es- 
sentially good  or  bad  in  themselves,  may  be  performed  for 
a  good  or  evil  end  or  motive,  or  as  one  or  the  other  may 
predominate  in  them,  they  are  pronounced  either  mortal 
or  venial,  indifferent  or  neutral,  by  those  self-constituted 
judges  between  man  and  his  God.  Let  the  assassination 
of  Henry  IV.,  to  which  allusion  has  been  made  in  the 
last  chapter,  serve  for  an  example  in  illustration.  Murder 
is  in  itself  evil,  as  no  one  will  deny.  But  if  the  end  for 
which  murder  is  committed  be  to  prevent  greater  evils  ; 
murder  is  then  no  longer  murder,  no  longer  evil.  Henry 
was  assassinated  because  he  was  an  enemy  of  the  church ; 
so  far  then  from  his  murderer  having  committed  sin  in 
murdering  him,  the  end  for  which  he  did  it  fully  justi- 
fied him.  Such  is  Jesuitical  theology,  founded  on  this 
abominable  principle  :  "  The  end  justifieth  the  means  !" 
The  "  tractatus  de  preceptis  ecclesige,"  or,  treatise  on 
the  commandments  of  the  church,  is  another  part  of  the 
moral  theology,  by  which  Rome  teaches  her  clergy  to 
domineer  over  the  consciences  of  the  people.  These 
precepts  are  seven  in  number,  and  although  far,  very  far, 
indeed,  from  having  any  portion  of  ,the  Divine  Word  to 
enforce  the  observance  of  them,  they  are  yet  commanded 
by  those  tyrants  over  gospel  liberty  to  be  observed  with 
the  same  scrupulousness,  and  under  the  same  penalty,  as 
the  commandments  of  God  himself.  The  number  of 
fasts  ;  the  food  to  be  used  in  time  of  lent ;  the  quantity  of 
same  food ;  whether  to  be  taken  morning  or  evening  ; 
how  those  are  to  act  who  are  in  a  delicate  state  of  health  ; 
the  age  at  which  children  are  bound  to  observe  lent ; 
whether  nurses,  who  have  young  children  at  their  breasts, 
be  free  from  the  precept ;  each  and  every  one  of  these 
minutiae,  and  many  more  of  equal  absurdity,  are  discussed, 
and  judgment  passed  on  all  those  who  do  not  observe 
10* 


102  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

them  with  the  greatest  precision.  The  due  observance 
of  saint-days,  the  confession  of  sins  to  a  priest,  the  re- 
ceiving the  eucharist  at  least  once  a  year,  and  the  pay- 
ment of  tithes,  are  all  and  each  commanded  under  pain 
of  mortal  sin.  A  minute  detail  of  each  of  the  foregoing 
precepts,  and  of  the  degree  of  sinfulness  attached  to  their 
non-observance,  would  be  quite  uninteresting  to  the 
reader.  Be  it  sufficient,  then,  to  say,  that  when  con- 
science and  the  fear  of  committing  mortal  sins  are  not 
sufficient  to  make  them  be  observed  by  the  people,  the 
secular  arm  is  called  in  to  regulate  the  errors  of  con- 
science. In  Rome,  no  fiesh-meat  is  sold  in  the  public 
markets  on  Fridays  or  Saturdays,  nor  during  the  whole 
of  lent,  unless  at  two  or  three  stalls,  which  are  licensed 
by  the  government,  on  paying  a  great  fine,  to  sell  it  to 
those  who  have  a  written  permission  from  their  respective 
parish  priests,  or  from  other  clerical  superiors,  to  make 
use  of  meat  at  such  times  ;  which  permission  the  latter 
never  give,  unless  when  well  paid  for  it.  At  the  public 
restaurants  and  hotels,  unless  at  those  frequented  by 
English  travellers,  it  is  not  permitted  to  cook  flesh-meat 
on  fast-days  ;  and  should  the  parish  priest  have  any  cause 
to  suspect  that  flesh-meat  is  eaten  on  such  days  in  the 
private  houses  of  any  of  his  parishioners,  he  is  at  liberty  to 
break  into  the  privacies  of  domestic  circles,  and  bring  the 
offisnders  to  justice,  or  rather  injustice.  Many  cases  of 
public  punishment  for  transgressing  this  precept  of  fast- 
ing are  on  record  J  but  one  in  particular,  which  was  re- 
lated to  me  by  an  eye-witness,  is  so  glaringly  unjust  and 
cruel,  that  I  cannot  refrain  from  relating  it.  "  A  young 
man  travelling  on  foot  from  Aquapendente  to  Rome, 
retired  during  the  heat  of  the  da)^  it  being  summer,  to  an 
osteria,  or  obscure  inn,  on  the  road  to  repose,  and  take 
some  refreshment.  Having  brought  from  home,  for  the 
sake  of  economy,  some  bread  and  meat ;  he  opened  his 
wallet  and  began  his  repast,  the  host  supplying  him  with 
a  bottle  of  wine.  He  had  not  half  finished  his  repast, 
when  two  carabineri,  or  policemen,  came  into  the  same 
tavern,  and  seeing  him  doing  what  was  not  lawful  to  be 
done  on  a  fast-day — eating  meat — they  immediately  took 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  103 

nim  prisoner,  and  conveyed  him  to  Rome  between  them. 
He  was  brought  before  the  court  the  next  day  and  con- 
demned to  pay  a  penalty  of  fifty  scudi,  or  dollars  ;  or  if 
unable  to  pay  the  fine,  to  suffer  one  hundred  lashes  on 
the  spot  where  he  had  eaten  the  meat,  and  be  kept  two 
months  with  a  chain  to  his  leg  at  the  public  works,  and 
confined  by  night  in  the  castle  of  St.  Angelo.  The  latter 
sentence  was  executed  to  a  tittle,  while  mine  host  was 
fined  fifty  scudi  also,  for  allowing  meat  to  be  eaten  in  his 
house  on  a  day  prohibited  by  the  church."  Had  the 
same  young  man  been  found  guilty  of  maiming  one  of 
his  fellow  creatures,  or  of  robbing  him  of  his  property, 
his  punishment  would  not  be  severer,  if  indeed  so  severe, 
as  the  one  inflicted  for  daring  to  transgress  the  precepts 
of  the  church — though  the  former  transgression  be  against 
the  laws  of  God  ;  the  latter  against  the  laws  of  man  only. 
Those  who  neglect  to  go  to  confession,  and  receive  the 
sacrament  at  least  once  a  year,  are  also  punished  by  the 
secular  arm.  Their  names  are  affixed  to  the  gate  of  the 
church,  and  they  are  forbidden  to  enter  it  till  they  are 
reconciled  to  the  priest.  If  they  continue  obstinate,  they 
are  then  formally  and  solemnly  excommunicated.  The 
ceremony  of  excommunication  is  performed  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner.  The  parish  priest,  attended  by  a  deacon, 
sub-deacon,  and  acolythist,  comes  forward,  dressed  in 
■white,  and  advancing  to  the  lowest  step  of  the  altar,  reads 
the  following:  Ego  hujus  parochise  praesul,  juxta  potes- 
tatem  mihi  concessam  ab  episcopo  diocesano,  et  ex  auc- 
toritate    summi    pontificis,  his  presentibus  communions 

fidelium  privo,  et  ab  eadem  separo  N in  hac  paro- 

chia  domiciliantem   propter  ;    et   omnes   fideles 

cujuscumque  gradus,  status,  sexus  vel  conditionis  ab 
ejusdem  consortio,  colloquio,  &c.  prohibeo  sub  paena  ex- 
communicationis  majoris  ipso  facto  incurrendae  ab  iis  con- 
trafacientibus,  vel  contradicentibus.  Et  sicut  extinguun- 
tur  heec  lumina  altaris  Dei,  sic  etiam  ab  eodem  aufertur 
omnis  spes  futurag  vitse,  et  post  mortem,  ejus  cadaver 
careat  sepultura  Christiana.  Amen.  (I,  the  parish  priest 
of  this  parish,  according  to  the  power  conferred  on  me  by 
the  bishop  of  the  diocess,  and  by  the  authority  of  the 


104  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

supreme  pontiff,  deprive  and  separate  from  the  communion 
of  the  faithful,  N ,  residing  in  the  parish,  on  ac- 
count of  *  *  *  *  (here  the  cause  of  the  excommunica- 
tion is  assigned,)  and  prohibit  all  the  faithful  of  whatever 
rank,  station,  sex,  or  condition,  from  holding  any  inter- 
course, or  connexion,  &c.  with  the  same,  under  penalty 
of  excommunication,  which  will  be  incurred  by  those  so 
acting.  And  as  these  candles  of  God's  altar  are  extin- 
guished, so  also  is  every  hope  of  future  salvation  taken 
away  from  the  same ;  and  let  his  body  be  deprived  of 
Christian  burial  after  death.  Amen.)  As  the  parish 
priest  reads  the  foregoing,  the  candles  are  extinguished 
one  after  another  by  the  attendants.  The  sentence  is 
afterward  printed,  and  affixed  to  the  gate  of  the  church  and 
in  the  other  public  places  of  the  parish. 

The  sentence  of  excommunication  is  not  withdrawn 
without  great  trouble  and  expense  on  the  part  of  the  ex- 
communicated. He  is  in  the  mean  time  shunned  by  every 
one,  and  even  by  his  own  family.  If  he  has  a  wife,  she 
is  not  allowed  to  speak  to  him  or  eat  at  one  table  with  him. 
If  he  has  children,  they  are  under  the  same  prohibition. 
If  he  be  a  poor  man,  and  dependent  on  his  daily  labour  for 
subsistence,  his  work  is  withdrawn,  and  he  is  very  hkely 
to  die  of  starvation,  if  the  sentence  of  excommunication 
be  not  soon  taken  off.  Having  at  length  satisfied  the 
priest  in  every  thing,  he  is  placed  kneeling  on  a  white 
cloth  at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  and  his  back  being  made 
bare,  he  is  ivhipped  by  the  priest,  singing  or  repeating 
the  psalm  "Miserere,"  and  all  this  in  presence  of  the 
assembled  congregation.  He  then  asks  pardon  of  the 
priest  and  people,  for  the  scandal  and  bad  example 
■which  he  had  given  ;  and  having  received  absolution,  he 
is  allowed  to  partake  of  the  sacrament,  and  thus  becomes 
fully  reconciled  to  the  church.  It  is  a  very  common 
thing  to  find  the  sentence  of  excommunication  affixed  to 
the  church-doors  of  Rome  and  of  the  Roman  state  at  dif- 
ferent periods  of  the  year,  but  more  especially  after 
Easter ;  for  this  is  the  stated  time  at  which  the  inhabit- 
ants are  obliged  to  make  their  annual  confessions,  and 
receive  the  sacrament.     It  may  be  easily  imagined,  then, 


MONASTEBIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  105 

how  many,  in  order  to  escape  punishment,  go  through 
the  form  of  confession  and  communion  with  their  hearts 
far  removed  from  the  love  of  God  and  of  his  religion. 
A  great  many,  especially  those  of  the  learned  professions, 
perform  the  ceremony  with  the  greatest  indifference, 
being  confirmed  infidels,  and  only  watching  an  opportu- 
nity of  throwing  off  the  mask  of  hypocrisy.  And  how 
could  they  act  otherwise  than  with  indifference,  when 
they  are  forced  to  perform  what  they  do  not  believe  in  ? 
Adoration  is  a  freewill  offering,  and  by  no  means  accept- 
able to  the  Deity,  unless  it  proceeds  from  the  free,  un- 
forced agency  of  the  giver.  God  wishes  the  religion  of 
the  heart ;  how  then  can  he  be  pleased  with  that  which 
the  outward  man  is  forced  to  give  him  ? 

There  are  other  treatises  comprised  in  this  system  of 
•moral  theology,  particular  mention  of  which  would  be 
found  quite  uninteresting  to  the  readers.  I  cannot,  how- 
ever, forbear  making  some  few  remarks  on  the  "  tractatus 
de  sacramentis,"  or  the  treatise  on  the  sacraments. 
These  are  seven,  according  to  the  belief  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  church :  viz.  baptism,  confirmation,  eucharist, 
penance,  extreme-unction,  holy  orders,  and  matrimony. 
More  than  usual  pains  are  taken  by  popish  theologians 
in  defending  and  upholding  the  number  and  efficacy  of 
these  sacraments.  Each  of  them  is  argued  upon  in  sepa- 
rate and  distinct^treatises,  and  huge  folio  volumes  are  writ- 
ten upon  some  of  them — so  much  labour  and  trouble  does 
it  require  to  give  to  error  the  appearance  of  truth  !  They 
are  all  and  every  one  deemed  essential  to  salvation  ; 
though  it  may  be  asked  how  that  can  be  established, 
whereas  laymen  do  not  receive  the  sacrament  of  orders, 
and  priests  cannot  receive  that  of  marriage  ?  This  diffi- 
culty, however,  is  got  over  by  a  distinction  (popish  theo- 
logians are  great  hands  at  distinctions)  between  univer- 
sality and  individuality,  that  is,  they  are  essential  to  the 
cnurch  universally,  though  not  to  each  individual  of  the 
church.  How  much  more  honest  would  it  be  to  expunge 
the  last  two  wholly  from  the  number  of  the  sacraments, 
than  to  have  recourse  to  such  a  forced  distinction  !  But 
this  cannot  be  done,  for  then  the  churcn  would  acknow- 


106  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

ledge  itself  to  have  erred  ;  and  what  then  would  become 
of  its  claims  to  infallibility  ? 

The  sacrament  of  the  eucharist  or  last  supper  is  espe- 
cially dwelt  upon  at  unusual  length,  and  propped  by  a 
host  of  arguments — some   taken  from  Scripture,  others 
from  tradition,  others  from  revelations  made  by  some  de- 
parted saints  to  some  monks  in  this  world,  and  not  a  few 
from  miracles  performed  to  give  testimony  of  its  institu- 
tion in  the  sense  in  which  it  is  understood  by  Roman 
Catholics.     It  is  well  known  to  every  one, — or  if  it  be 
not,  it  should  be  known,  in  order  to  judge  of  the  value  of 
an  ''anathema,'' —thai  the  council  of  Trent  anathematizes 
every  one  who  would  dare  say,  that  in  the  sacrament  of 
the  altar,  (thus  the 'last  supper  is  called,)  "there  is  not 
really  present  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ."     Roman 
Catholics  believe,  therefore,  that  after  the  words  of  con- 
secration "  hoc  est  corpus  meum,"  "  this  is  my  body," 
pronounced  by  the  priest,  the  whole  substance  of  the  bread 
is  changed  into  the  body  of  Christ,  and,  likewise,  that  the 
whole  substance  of  the  wine  is  changed  into  his  blood,  after 
the  consecrating  words  "  hie  est  calix  sanguinis  mei,"  &c. 
"  this  is  the  cup  of  my  blood,"    It  is  evident,  that  nothing 
can  be  more  contradictory  to  Scripture  or  to  common  sense 
than  this  doctrine  ;  the  words  "  this  is  my  body,"  "  this  is 
my  blood,"  being  mere  figurative  expressions,  as  any  one 
may  perceive  who  is  not  blinded  by  ignorance  and  super- 
stition.    Besides,  such  a  transubstantiation  is  so  opposite 
to  the  testimony  of  our  senses,  as  completely  to  under- 
mine the  whole  proof  of  all  the  miracles  by  which  God 
hath  confirmed  revelation.     By  it,  the  same  body  is  alive 
and  dead  at  one  and  the  same  moment,  and  may  be  in  a 
million  of  different  places,  whole  and  entire  at  the  same 
instant  of  time  ;  part  of  Christ's  body  is  also  made  equal 
to  the  whole.     If  this  be  true,  what  difficulty  is  there  in 
saying,  that  all  the  other  miracles,  which  are  related  in 
the  gospel,  were  only  tricks  of  legerdemain,  and  imposi- 
tions practised   on  the  senses   of  those  who   witnessed 
them.     It  is  also  contrary  to  the  end  of  the  institution  of 
the  sacrament,  which  is  to  represent  and  commemorate 
Christ,  not  to  believe  that  he  is  corporeally  present,  as  is 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  107 

clear  from  1  Cor.  xi.  24.  26.  But  it  would  be  needless 
to  waste  time  in  refuting  a  doctrine,  which,  by  its  impious 
consequences,  fully  refutes  itself.  The  priests  being 
conscious,  that  on  it  is  founded  the  greater  part  of  the 
superhuman  power  to  which  they  so  arrogantly  lay 
claim,  leave  no  stone  unturned,  no  argument,  or  appear- 
ance of  argument  untried,  by  which  they  may  impress 
on  the  minds  of  their  followers  a  firm  belief  in  its  truth. 
On  the  belief,  that  the  sacrament  contains  the  real  and 
very  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  is  founded  the  sacrifice 
of  the  mass,  as  it  is  styled,  by  which  they  get  their  sub- 
sistence, and  in  which  they  off'er  Christ  as  a  victim  for 
the  sins  of  the  living  and  the  dead.  Although  "  Christ,''^ 
if  the  apostle  be  not  mistaken,  "  ivas  (but)  once  offered 
to  bear  the  sins  of  many,''''  and  though  "  we  are  sanctified 
through  the  offering  of  the  body  of  Jesus  Christ  once  for 
alW^  (Heb.  ix.  28,  and  x.  10,)  yet  he  is  sacrificed  a 
hundred  thousand  times  every  day  throughout  the  Ro- 
man Catholic  world,  and  three  hundred  thousand  times 
on  the  day  held  in  commemoration  of  his  birth ;  there 
being  three  masses  celebrated  by  every  priest  on  Christ- 
mas day.  This  computation  is  made  supposing  that 
there  be  but  one  hundred  thousand  popish  priests  in  the 
world,  whereas  there  are  probably  double  or  treble  that 
number.  A.  hundred  thousand  Christs,  therefore,  are 
made  every  day  as  soon  as  the  words  of  consecration  are 
pronounced  by  the  priests  ;  and  were  it  possible  to  divide 
each  particle  of  the  bread  into  a  million  separate  parts, 
and  transfer  them  to  so  many  places  apart,  there  would 
be  present  really  and  corporeally  as  many  Christs  as 
there  are  parts  in  the  particle.  A  priest,  therefore,  in 
consecrating  a  wafer  makes  as  many  Gods  as  there  are 
infinitely  small  parts  into  which  a  consecrated  wafer  can 
be  divided  ! !  No  wonder,  then,  that  men  possessed  of 
such  extraordinary  power — even  that  of  making  Him 
who  made  them — should  be  held  in  such  veneration  by 
all  who  believe  in  its  reality.  To  nurture  this  belief,  no 
device,  no  ingenuity  is  spared  on  their  part.  Being 
unable  to  fix  its  foundation  on  gospel  grounds,  they  must 
have  recourse  to  fables  and  lying  wonders,  to  prodigies 


108  SIX    YEARS   IN   THE 

and  miracles.     Out  of  a  great  many  of  these,  I  shall  se- 
lect a  few  for  the  satisfaction  of  the  reader. 

In  the  parish  church  of  Monte  Fiascone,*  there  is 
preserved  a  corporal,!  which  is  dyed  red  with  blood, 
that  issued  from  a  host.  The  tradition  annexed  to  this 
corporal  is  as  follows  :  A  young  priest,  while  celebrating 
mass,  often  doubted  of  the  reality  of  his  power  to  change 
the  bread  and  wine  into  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ. 
One  day,  in  particular,  this  doubt  attacked  him  during 
mass  with  more  than  its  usual  force.  After  having  pro- 
nounced the  words  of  consecration,  and  while  breaking 
the  host  in  two,  (a  thing  always  done  before  the  priest 
communicates,  for  what  reason  I  don't  know,)  lo  !  blood 
is  seen  issuing  from  the  wafer,  and  in  puch  quantity  as 
to  change  the  colour  of  the  corporal,  milk-white  before, 
into  a  deep  red.  The  assembled  multitude  then  humbly 
prostrated  themselves  and  adored  the  holy  particle,  which 
thus  condescended  to  confirm  by  a  miracle  the  truth  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  real  presence,  and  to  strengthen  by 
the  same  the  minds  of  those  who  may  be  tempted  to 
doubt  of  its  truth.  The  priest,  whom  the  temptation  of 
the  evil  one  had  led  to  doubt  of  his  own  power,  fainted 
at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  and  was  borne  in  a  state  of  in- 
sensibility to  the  sacristy.  On  recovering,  he  humbly 
confessed  his  doubts,  and  lived  ever  after  so  holily,  that 
he  was  deemed  worthy  after  death  to  be  enrolled  among 

*  A  town  in  the  pope's  dominions,  and  situated  in  that  part  of  them 
which  is  called  "  il  patrimonio  di  San  Pietro,"  or  the  patrimony  of 
St.  Peter,  from  its  having  been  bestowed  to  the  then  reigning  pope 
by  Constantine  the  Great,  on  his  first  embracing  Christianity.  The 
deeds  of  conveyance  are  still  preserved  in  the  church  of  St.  John 
Lateran  at  Rome ;  though  many  are  so  incredulous  as  to  doubt  their 
genuineness.  I  remember  to  have  read,  in  one  of  the  notes  to  an 
edition  of  "  Orlando  Furioso,"  printed  in  some  heretical  country — 
Germany,  I  believe — in  which  Orlando  is  said  to  have  made  a  jour- 
ney to  the  moon,  where  he  discovered,  among  other  things  worthy 
of  attention,  the  very  identical  deeds  by  which  this  part  of  Italy  was 
made  over  to  the  successors  of  St,  Peter ! 

f  A  white  hnen  cloth,  which  is  spread  upon  the  altar  during  the 
celebration  of  mass ;  so  called  from  being  honoured  with  the  sup- 
posed body  of  our  Saviour. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  109 

the  number  of  saints.  The  corporal  is  preserved  to  this 
day  in  a  case  of  gold,  as  an  eternal  memorial  of  the  truth 
of  consubstantiation  ;  an  altar  having  been  built  in  the 
same  church  for  its  particular  worship ;  which  is  called 
"I'altare  del  corporale  miracoloso,"  or,  the  altar  of  the 
miraculous  corporal.  Many  miracles  are  daily  performed 
before  this  altar,  and  devotees  come  to  worship  at  it  from 
all  parts  of  Italy.  This  story  is  preserved  in  the  archives 
of  the  church  of  Monte  Fiascone,  and  fully  authenticated 
by  the  signatures  of  many  respectable  persons  who  wit- 
nessed the  miracle.  But,  I  fear,  were  these  respectable 
persons  to  arise  again  from  their  graves,  after  a  residence 
there  of  some  ages,  there  are  many  heretics  who  would 
doubt  the  truth  of  it.     Are  you,  reader,  one  of  them  ? 

In  another  church  at  Rome,  known  by  the  name  of 
"  Church  of  the  most  holy  Sacrament,"  there  is  pre- 
served a  particle  which  changed  the  water  of  a  deep  \^ell 
into  blood.  The  manner  in  which  this  happened  is  said 
to  be  the  following: — On  a  Holy  Thursday,  the  Jews 
sent  one  of  their  number  to  a  Christian  church  in  order 
that  he  might  get  possession  of  the  Christian's  God, 
under  pretext  of  receiving  the  sacrament.  The  man, 
having  received  the  particle  in  his  mouth  from  the  lingers 
of  the  priest,  immediately  withdrew  from  the  church 
without  swallowing  it,  and  carried  it  to  the  house  of  his 
rabbi.  The  latter  invited  the  other  Jews  to  assemble 
next  day,  Good  Friday,  and  have  the  pleasure  of  again 
torturing  the  God  of  the  Christians.  His  followers 
assembled  accordingly,  in  great  numbers,  each  being 
armed  with  a  knife,  or  some  other  sharp  instrument,  in 
order  to  reduce  to  atoms  the  particle.  The  rabbi  him- 
self gave  it  the  first  cut,  when  immediately  blood  began 
to  flow  from  the  wafer,  to  the  astonishment  of  all  pre- 
sent. Fearing  that  the  wicked  deed  might  come  to  the 
knowledge  of  the  authorities,  they  took  up  the  particle 
and  threw  it  into  a  deep  well,  the  water  of  which  was 
instantaneously  turned  into  blood,  and  a  divine  splendour 
was  seen  to  encompass  its  mouth.  This  was  observed 
by  some  one  passing  by,  who  immediately  gave  the 
alarm ;  and,  on  search  being  made,  the  blessed  particle 
11 


110  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

was  found  floating  on  the  water,  and  still  bleeding.  The 
rabbi  and  his  accomplices  were  obliged  to  confess  their 
crime,  and  sufljered  the  punishment  of  death,  which  they 
so  well  merited,  having  been  torn  asunder  by  the  popu- 
lace ;  while  the  wafer  was  carried  in  procession  to  the 
nearest  church,  and  deposited  in  the  tabernacle.  A  church 
was  afterward  built  on  the  site  of  the  rabbi's  house,  and 
the  identical  wafer  is  still  preserved  in  it,  for  the  adora- 
tion of  future  ages. 

The  foregoing  story  was  probably  invented  in  order  to 
find  a  pretence  for  extorting  money  from  the  wretched 
Jews,  and  to  excite  against  them  the  popular  hatred. 
It  is  made  also  to  answer  the  purpose  of  confirming  the 
people's  belief  in  the  real  presence  by  a  miracle.  It  is 
well  known  that  the  Jews  have  more  liberty  and  more 
justice  shown  them  in  the  capital  of  Mahometanism  than 
ii^  that  of  popery — by  professors  of  the  religion  of  the 
false  prophet  than  by  the  followers  of  the  meek  and 
lowly  Jesus.  They  are  shut  up,  like  so  many  malefac- 
tors, between  two  gates,  every  night,  in  a  place  called 
"  il  ghetto,"  by  their  Christian  taskmasters ;  whereas,  in 
Constantinople,  they  at  least  have  the  power  of  retiring 
to  their  homes  when  they  think  proper,  and  have  no 
gates  to  hinder  them  from  access  to  their  families,  and 
no  prisons  to  fear,  if  found  in  the  streets  after  a  certain 
hour.  They  are  not  obliged  to  listen  to  the  preaching 
of  the  Turkish  mufti,  under  pain  of  fine  and  imprison- 
ment; whereas  at  Rome  they  are  forced*  to  hear  a  ser- 
mon once  a  week  delivered  by  some  friar,  in  order  to 
imbue  their  minds  with  that  idolatry,  though  under 
another  name,  for  which  their  forefathers  were  so  often 
punished,  and  which  Jews  so  generally  hold  in  abhor- 
rence. What  I  have  said  of  their  treatment  in  Rome 
can  also  be  said  with  equal  truth  concerning  it  in  the 
other  cities  of  Italy  where  they  are  to  be  found ;  and 

*  If  they  do  not  attend  the  sermon,  and  answer  to  their  names 
when  called,  they  are  fined  and  imprisoned.  When  they  do  attend, 
there  is  a  man,  with  a  long  pole,  who  strikes  them  if  he  observe 
their  attention  withdrawn  from  the  preacher  for  one  moment.  No 
wonder,  then,  that  the  Jews  hate  Christianity,  when  they  have  such 
a  sample  of  it  as  this  before  them. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  Ill 

more  especially  in  the  other  cities  of  the  pope's  tempo- 
ral dominions,  as  Ancona,  Senegaglia,  Bologna,  &c. 

In  the  cathedral  church  of  Venice,  there  is  also  pre- 
served in  a  vial  the  blood  of  our  Saviour.  Some  say, 
that  it  is  a  part  of  the  identical  blood  that  flowed  from  his 
wounds  at  Calvary,  while  others,  not  so  credulous,  think 
it  only  the  blood  which  flowed  from  a  consecrated  wafer, 
and  was  collected  and  preserved  for  the  veneration  of  the 
people.  I  shall  relate  one  story  more,  fabricated  for  a 
proof  of  the  real  presence,  and  then  quit  the  subject, 
with  which,  I  fear,  the  reader  is  already  disgusted. 
Some  time  after  the  reformation  in  Germany,  a  heretical 
painter  came  to  Rome  to  perfect  himself  in  his  art,  by 
copying  after  the  celebrated  masters,  who  have  adorned 
by  their  works  "  the  holy  cityy*  Being  imbued  with  the 
sacramentarian  heresy,  he  endeavoured,  as  far  as  he  could 
without  danger,  to  ridicule  the  doctrine  of  the  real  pre- 
sence. One  day,  while  riding  through  the  street  on  a 
mule,  he  saw  at  a  distance  a  procession,  carrying  the 
viaticumt  or  eucharist  to  a  dying  person.     He  endeavour- 

*  Urbs  sacra,  or  holy«city,  is  an  epithet  applied  to  Rome  by  many 
writers  on  ecclesiastical  history,  when  they  have  need  to  mention  that 
capital.  Perhaps  they  understand  "  sacra"  in  the  sense  Virgil  applies 
"  sacra  auri  fames,"  that  is,  "  accursed."  If  so,  they  only  imitate  the 
Tuscan  expression  of  "Roma  santa;  popoli  cornuti,"  holy  Rome, 
but  horned  people. 

■j"  Viaticum  properly  means  "  provisions  for  a  journey."  A  dying 
man,  being  about  to  set  out  on  a  journey  to  the  other  world,  is  first 
anointed  ;  that  is,  he  has  his  feet  and  other  parts  of  his  body  besmear- 
ed with  oil,  in  which  consists  the  sacrament  of  extreme  unction.  He 
may,  or  he  may  not  receive  the  eucharist,  prior  to  this  operation, 
which  on  this  occasion  is  called  "  viaticum,"  as  being  that  which  he 
must  live  upon  during  his  journey  to  heaven.  Rabelais,  the  French 
wit,  being  asked  by  a  friend  some  days  before  his  death,  if  he  were 
prepared  to  die  ?  "  O  yes !"  answered  he,  "  for  I  have  got  my 
wallet  stored  with  the  necessary  provisions,  and  my  boots  greased," 
— meaning  that  he  had  received  the  viaticum,  and  extreme  unction. 
He  was  a  Franciscan  friar,  whom  a  disgust  for  monkery  hurled  into 
mfidelity.  It  is  surprising,  what  trust  is  placed  by  Romanists  in  ex- 
treme unction.  The  first  question  asked  by  the  friends  of  a  deceased, 
upon  being  informed  of  his  death,  is,  "  Has  he  been  anointed  V  If  the 
answer  be  in  the  affirmative,  then  follows  the  exclamation,  "  Thank 
God  !"  Salvation  through  the  merits  of  a  crucified  Saviour  is  never 
once  thought  upon  ! ! 


113  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

ed  to  turn  his  mule  into  another  street,  lest  he  should  be 
obliged  to  dismount  and  adore  it,  upon  coming  nearer. 
The  animal,  however,  more  devout  than  his  rider,  refused 
to  be  guided  by  him,  and  much  against  his  will,  bore  him 
in  front  of  the  procession,  where,  as  if  to  show  him  an 
example,  it  knelt  down  and  devoudy  adored  the  holy 
sacrament! 

By  such  ridiculous  stories  as  these  related,  is  the 
popular  superstition  kept  alive,  and  the  priest's  power 
upheld.  Being  unable  to  establish  so  absurd  a  doctrine 
on  any  part  of  the  Divine  word,  and  conscious  that  the 
belief  in  it  forms  the  corner-stone  of  their  other  preten- 
sions, they  spare  neither  conscience  nor  truth  in  their 
attempts  to  give  it  the  appearance  of  a  doctrine  pleasing 
to  the  Supreme  Being.  Hence  the  miracles  and  otiier 
lying  wonders  invented  in  attestation  of  it;  hence  also 
the  corporals,  innumerable  portions  of  blood,  incorrupti- 
ble wafers,  and  such  like  mummer5%  to  be  found  scattered 
through  the  churches  of  Italy,  and  through  other  parts 
of  popish  Europe.  The  people,  thus  wheedled  into  a 
belief  of  transubstantiation,  have  the  most  exalted  opi- 
nion of  the  men  who  are  the  agents  of  it,  and  accord- 
ingly give  money  to  have  it  performed  on  their  behalf, 
that  is,  they  buy  masses,  to  be  celebrated  according  to 
their  intention,  from  those  traffickers  in  the  blood  of 
Christ.  Rich  men,  especially  such  as  have  led  a  life  of 
debauchery,  leave  by  their  will  a  sum  of  money  for  so 
many  masses  to  be  annually  celebrated  for  the  repose  of 
their  souls.  Money  often  amassed  by  extortion  and  in- 
justice is  thus  bequeathed,  in  hope  of  appeasing  the 
Divine  wrath  by  offering  again  as  a  propitiatory  sacrifice 
Him  who  made  atonement  once  for  all  for  the  sins  of  the 
whole  world  on  Calvary  ;  the  sacrifice  being  thus  impi- 
ously reiterated  in  contradiction  of  the  words  of  a  dying 
Saviour,  "  it  is  finished ;"  or,  as  the  Latin  Vulgate  has 
them,  "  consummatiim  ca/."  There  are  in  Rome  hun- 
dreds of  priests,  whose  means  of  subsistence  entirely 
depend  upon  the  emolument  derived  from  masses.  They 
make  the  tour  of  the  different  churches  every  morning, 
and  wherever  they  find  the  most  money  for  their  mass 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  113 

there  they  celebrate  it.  Two  Roman  Pauls,  about 
twenty-five  cents,  is  generally  the  price  of  a  common 
mass  ;  and  four  dollars,  or  more,  for  a  high  mass,  or 
"  missa  cantata,"  which  cannot  be  celebrated  without  the 
presence  of  four  or  five  priests,  who  divide  the  money 
between  them,  after  the  peribrmance,  as  comedians  are 
accustomed  to  do  with  their  night's  benefit;  the  high 
priest  receiving  the  largest  portion,  and  so  on  according 
to  their  different  ranks. 

The  "  tractatus  de  juranientis,"  or  the  treatise  on  oaths, 
has  in  it  something  so  subversive  of  the  general  good  of 
society,  especially  of  Protestant  society,  that  I  cannot  re- 
frain from  making  a  few  remarks  upon  it.  After  explain- 
ing the  nature  of  an  oath,  and  the  rigour  with  which  it 
ought  to  be  observed,  this  treatise  goes  on  to  determine 
the  degree  of  sin  attached  to  the  breaking  of  it ;  what 
penalty  is  incurred  by  the  man  who  takes  a  false  oath  in 
attestation  of  an  untruth,  and  whether  one  taken  for  the 
good  of  the  church  be  sinful  or  otherwise.  The  latter 
question  is  that  which  I  wish  to  call  the  attention  of  the 
reader  to  in  particular ;  as  it  may  teach  him  the  degree 
of  trust  and  confidence  which  he  can  safely  place  in  any 
oath,  contract,  or  bond  entered  into  with  any  Roman 
Catholic,  when  such  oath  or  contract  be  in  any  way  con- 
trary to  the  good  of  the  Romish  church.  It  has  been 
decreed  by  the  council  of  Constance,  and  the  same  decree  • 
has  been  confirmed  by  divers  popes,  and  practised  upon 
in  most  places,  if  not  in  all,  where  Roman  Catholics  are 
mixed  up  with  Protestants  ;  "  that  no  faith  be  kept  with 
heretics."  Every  Roman  Catholic  is  at  liberty  to  swear 
to  any  lie  which  he  himself  pleases,  or  which  he  is  in- 
structed to  affirm,  without  falling  into  sin,  provided  he 
acts  so  for  the  good  of  the  church.  So  far  from  such  a 
violation  of  the  sacredness  of  an  oath  being  held  as  cri- 
minal, he  is  taught  by  his  priest  that  it  is  meritorious  and 
laudable.  A  Roman'Catholic  is  also  dispensed  from  exe- 
cuting the  terms  of  an  oath,  which  he  may  have  entered 
into  with  a  heretic,  if  the  observance  of  such  terms  be 
hurtful  to  the  interest  of  his  church ;  and  a  priest,  when 
summoned  before  a  Protestant  court  of  justice  to  give 
II* 


114  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

evidence  against  a  co-religionist,  can  safely  swear,  though 
he  is  at  the  same  time  certain  of  the  man's  guilt,  that  he 
knows  nothing  whatever  concerning  the  case  in  question  ; 
and  if  the  condemnation  of  the  prisoner  be  attended  with 
any  damage  to  the  church,  he  is  commanded  to  swear 
positively  to  the  prisoner's  innocence.  If  he  act  other- 
wise, he  is  severely  punished — perhaps  suspended  from 
his  clerical  duties.  A  Roman  Catholic  is  not  deemed 
delinquent  when  he  invents  any  audacious  calumny  and 
confirms  it  by  an  oath,  if  his  design  be  to  promote  the 
cause  of  popery,  and  to  impede  and  cover  with  disgrace 
Protestantism.  Thus  in  Ireland  the  Roman  Catholic  pe- 
riodicals teem  every  day  with  invectives  against  the  Pro- 
testant clergy  as  a  body,  and  more  especially  against 
those  individually,  who  deem  it  a  duty  which  they  owe 
to  God  and  society  to  thwart  the  priests  in  their  system 
of  imposition,  and  in  their  settled  plan,  of  leading  to  de- 
struction and  final  damnation  the  souls  committed  to  their 
charge.  On  this  account  they  incur  the  enmity  of  the 
priests,  who  are  not  sparing  of  their  abuse,  and  if  nothing 
true  (which  is  generally  the  case)  can  be  brought  forward 
to  injure  their  opponents  in  the  opinion  of  the  public, 
recourse  is  had  to  false  accusations,  which  are  speedily 
attested  by  some  hopeful  members  of  their  flock.  This 
is  only  acting  up  to  the  principle  laid  down  in  their  mo- 
rality, "that  nothing  can  be  sinful  or  unjust  when  the 
advantage  of  the  church  is  at  stake."  But  it  would  be 
well  if  priests  contented  themselves  with  simply  forging 
false  accusations  against  the  conscientious  ministers  of 
the  gospel.  Their  zeal  for  the  suppression  of  heresy 
often  shows  itself  in  acts  of  violence  against  the  persons 
of  the  heretics  ;  for  not  unfrequently  do  they  excite  their 
deluded  followers  to  insult  and  injure  them.  It  is  well 
known  how  many  Protestant  clergymen  were  waylaid 
and  murdered  in  Ireland  of  late  years,  and  how  many  of 
their  houses  were  burned  by  nightly  parties  of  priest- 
ridden  bigots.  It  has  been  remarked  that  those  ministers 
who  were  the  most  zealous  and  active  in  the  cause  of 
Christ,  were  always  chosen  for  the  assassin's  knife ; 
while  others  who  were  indifferent  to  the  propagation  of 


MONASTERIES    OF   ITALY,    ETC.  115 

truth,  and  who  lived  on  good  terms  with  the  priest, 
were  always  saved  from  harm  under  his  protecting  wing. 
Is  it  not  then  reasonable  to  suppose,  that  the  murders 
and  outrages  committed  on  the  former  were  not  without 
the  priests'  knowledge  ;  or  would  it  be  too  much  to  say- 
that  those  acts  of  violence  were  committed  at  their  insti- 
gation ?  The  priests  certainly  connived  at  them,  for  they 
used  every  means  in  their  power  to  screen  the  offenders 
from  justice.  But  this  is  not  all.  A  Roman  Catholic 
can  very  easily  obtain  from  his  priest,  for  a  trifle  of 
money,  a  dispensation  from  performing  any  contract 
entered  into  with  a  Protestant,  even  in  tilings  which  do 
not  belong  to  the  church,  and  from  the  performance  of 
which  the  church  could  not  possibly  receive  any  damage. 
This  power  is  granted  to  the  priest  by  a  canon  of  his 
church,  wherein  it  is  expressly  declared  "  that  every 
oath  or  contract,  by  which  a  Roman  Catholic  is  bound  to 
a  Protestant,  can  be  rendered  null  and  void,  if  so  it  seem 
fit  to  the  pope  or  priest."  If  then  the  Protestant  have  no 
better  way  of  making  the  Roman  Catholic  adhere  to  his 
plighted  faith,  than  the  conscience  of  the  latter,  he  may- 
be almost  certain  of  being  deceived.  The  scruples  of  con- 
science are  soon  removed  on  paying  a  half-dollar,  or  some 
other  sum,  according  to  the  means  of  the  applicant,  to  a 
priest.  According  then  to  these  doctrines,  it  is  manifest, 
that  any  Protestant  placing  confidence  in  the  oath  of  a 
Roman  Catholic,  acts,  to  say  the  least  of  it,  imprudently. 
Either  the  Roman  Catholic  deceives  him  or  he  does  not. 
If  he  does  not,  he  is  a  Roman  Catholic  only  in  name, 
for  he  does  not  act  up  to  the  dictates  of  his  church,  and 
is  unwilling  to  make  use  of  her  dispensing  power.  If 
he  does,  it  is  only  the  practical  eflecls  of  the  morality  I 
have  been  giving  a  description  of,  and  therefore  no  matter 
of  wonder.  Cobbett  somewhere  tells  a  story  of  a  Cor- 
nish knave,  who,  before  taking  a  false  oath,  which  he 
was  often  in  the  habit  of  doing,  was  accustomed,  before 
going  to  give  his  evidence,  to  promise  to  himself  that 
he  .would  swear  falsely  that  day.  Was  this  Cornish 
knave  a  Roman  Catholic,  or  did  he  act  so  by  advice  of 
the  priest?     It  looks  very  like  a  Jesuitical  prank. 


116  SIX    FEARS    IN    THE 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


Reflections  upon  monastic  studies — Extraordinary  charity  of  those 
who  endeavour  to  excuse  doctrinal  error — The  young  monk 
begins  to  see  monachism  as  it  really  is — Schools  in  which  he 
learns  the  secrets  of  monachism — Want  of  decorum  in  reciting 
the  divine  office — Gradual  corruption  of  the  young  monk — Monks 
bons  vivants — The  manner  in  which  the  income  of  convents  is 
spent — Belly  versus  Obedience  ;  a  scene  in  monkish  life — Cardi- 
nal Micara  in  jeopardy  — The  foregoing  scene  dramatized — Ca- 
lumny and  detraction  of  monks — Their  conversation  in  the 
refectory — Monkish  luxuries  obtained  at  the  sacrifice  of  honour 
and  virtue — Story  of  a  young  man,  the  victim  of  monkish  calumny 
— Clerk  of  the  kitchen — Manner  of  punishing  a  bad  cook — 
Monkish  fasting  and  abstinence — Lent — Dinners — Collation — 
Monkish  false  pretensions. 

The  foregoing  remarks  on  monastic  studies  will  give 
the  reader  some  idea  of  the  way  in  which  monks  are 
prepared  for  acting  their  parts  in  the  soul-destroying 
drama  of  popery.  Many  Protestants  imagine,  that  most 
of  the  glaring  corruptions,  moral  and  dogmatical,  which  are 
to  be  found  in  the  Romish  church,  are  more  the  effects  of 
human  weakness,  than  of  any  organized  system  esta- 
blished by  the  authority  of  that  church.  But  on  examin- 
ing the  works  and  opinions  of  popish  theologians,  and 
the  canons  by  which  these  opinions  are  confirmed,  it 
will  be  found  that  no  error,  however  great,  no  supersti- 
tion, however  derogating  from  the  honour  due  to  God, 
is  left  unsealed  by  the  authority  of  the  church  itself. 
Monks  therefore,  and  priests  of  every  description,  are 
taught  the  manner  of  propagating  those  errors,  which,  if 
they  were  not  a  component  part  of  the  doctrine  of  the 
church,  would  not  form  a  portion,  and  the  larger  portion 
too,  of  the  studies  which  are  deemed  essential  to  the  candi- 
dates for  the  Roman  Catholic  ministry.  People,  therefore, 
who  through  an  excess  of  charity  overlook  such  glaring 
errors,  or  attribute  them  not  to  the  church  itself,  but  to 
the  liability  to  err  of  human  nature,  should  first  examine 


MONASTERIES    OF     ITALY,    ETC.  117 

if  this  species  of  charity  be  not  rather  the  effect  of  indif- 
ference for  the  vital  doctrines  of  Christianity,  than  of 
love  and  desire  of  excusing  the  errors  of  their  fellow- 
men.  If  one  single  erroneous  practice  of  the  church  of 
Eome  can  be  found  unauthorized  by  the  clergy  and  head 
of  that  church,  or  if  not  expressly  authorized,  it  can  be 
found  unfavoured  indirectly,  or  not  countenanced  by 
them,  then  indeed  there  may  be  some  room  left  for 
charitably  hoping,  that  many  of  its  absurd  doctrines  are 
the  effects  of  popular  superstition,  and  not  the  genuine 
teaching  of  the  church  ;  but  until  such  an  one  be  found — 
and  I  believe  that  will  be  never — it  will  not  be  thought 
uncharitable  to  condemn  the  misplaced  and  extraordinary 
charity  of  those  who  are  so  desirous  of  exercising  it  in 
favour  of  error. 

Six  years  is  the  usual  time  allowed  for  passing  through 
the  course  of  study  which  has  been  described,  after 
which  the  student  is  examined,  and  if  he  be  approved 
of,  he  obtains  a  license  for  preaching,  and  for  exercis- 
ing the  other  offices  attached  to  the  priesthood.  This 
license  can  be  granted  by  no  other  than  the  chief-superior 
of  the  order,  who  is  called  the  general ;  but  when  the  sub- 
jects are  at  a  great  distance  from  Rome,  and  cannot,  there- 
fore, personally  appear  before  him  for  examination  with- 
out great  inconvenience,  it  is  then  sent  to  them  on  the 
strength  of  a  certificate,  from  their  local  superior,  of  their 
ability  and  fitness.  During  the  years  of  study,  the 
young  monks  have  also  more  opportunities  of  observing 
the  lives  and  conduct  of  the  other  monks,  and  of  becoming 
more  intimately  acquainted  with  monachism  than  they 
had  while  simply  novices.  They  are,  during  the  time 
they  are  students,  kept  less  confined,  and  allowed  more 
intercourse  with  the  older  monks.  This  more  intimate 
knowledge  of  the  monastic  state  is  generally,  if  not  uni- 
versally, attended  with  disgust.  They  were  comparatively 
happy  while  kept  in  ignorance  of  the  real  state  of  things  ; 
but  now  that  the  whole,  undisguised  truth  is  open  to 
them,  when  they  have  no  opening  left  for  escape,  having 
made  a  solemn  profession  ;  they  find  by  experience  the 
monastic  state  quite  different  in  practice  from  what  it 


118  SIX    YEARS   IN    THE 

appears  to  the  uninitiated,  or  to  those  who  judge  from 
the  theory  of  the  rule.  Where  they  expected  to  find 
peace,  brotherly  love,  devotion,  and  godliness  ;  they  dis- 
cover little  else  than  contentions,  mutual  hatred,  super- 
stition, and  impiety.  Wo  be  to  him  though,  who  is  so 
imprudent  as  to  express  his  dislike  to  such  a  life,  after 
having  made  his  vows.  If  he  wishes  to  have  any  future 
peace,  he  must  dissemble  his  disgust,  and  accommodate 
himself  to  circumstances.  By  degrees  he  will  soon 
learn  to  live  as  others  do,  and  by  long  practice  in  the  art 
of  monkery,  he  will  become  equal  and  perhaps  surpass 
others  in  the  very  things  for  which  he  at  first  had  so 
great  an  aversion. 

The  choir,  refectory,  conversation  room,  &;c.  are  the 
schools  in  which  the  secrets  and  practices  of  monach- 
ism  are  very  soon  learned.  The  very  litde  attention  paid 
to  the  divine  office  during  the  time  it  is  reciting  in  choir 
is  complained  of — even  by  the  monks  themselves.  They 
are  conscious  that  the  careless  manner  in  which  it  is 
performed,  is  sufficient  to  destroy  any  degree  of  merit 
attached  to  it;  and  even  taking  it  for  granted,  that  the 
repetition  of  psalms  in  an  unknown  tongue  can  be  a  right 
way  of  offering  homage  to  the  Supreme  Being,  the  inat- 
tention with  which  it  is  performed  must  certainly  render 
it  rather  offensive  than  pleasing  to  him.  Many  monks 
do  not  understand  the  language  in  which  it  is  recited, 
while  those  who  do  are  for  the  greater  part  confirmed 
infidels,  and  go  through  it  as  a  part  of  their  daily  labour. 
The  words  of  the  prophet  Isaiah  can  be  justly  then 
applied  to  a  monkish  choir — "  These  worship  me  with 
their  lips,  but  their  hearts  are  far  from  me."  The  young 
monk,  on  leaving  the  convent  in  which  he  passed  his 
year  of  probation,  where  some  attention  is  paid  to  de- 
corum at  least,  in  the  performance  of  this  duty,  feels  sur- 
prised at  the  inattention  it  is  gone  through  with, in  the  other 
convents.  By  degrees,  however,  he  accustoms  himself 
to  this  want  of  respect  and  reverence  in  the  worsliip  of 
God,  and  very  soon  joins  his  brethren  in  snuff-taking, 
laughing,  smiling,  and  in  the  other  devices  practised  by 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC  119 

them  to  kill  the  time  during  which  they  are  obliged  to 
give  their  bodily  presence  to  the  worship  of  the  Supreme 
Being. 

The  refectory  is  another  school,  in  which  the  young 
monk  learns  the  real  condition  of  the  life  he  had  embraced, 
and  to  which  he  had  bound  himself  by  his  solemn  profes- 
sion. The  table  of  the  convent,  in  which  he  passed  his 
novitiate,  or  year  of  probation,  was  frugal  and  temperate, 
and  rather  scanty  ;  he  will  then  be  surprised — agreeably 
so  perhaps — to  find  the  tables  of  such  convents  as  are  not 
troubled  with  novices,  groaning  under  the  weight  of  the 
best  that  the  season  can  afford.  There  are  no  persons  so 
fond  of  a  good  dinner  as  monks,  and  very  few  who  put 
in  practice  so  many  shameless  arts  to  obtain  one.  In- 
deed, all  Italians  are  fond  of  eating,  but  monks  are  so  to 
a  proverb  ;  for  "  mangiare  come  unfrate'''  means  to  fare 
as  sumptuously  and  as  greedily  as  a  friar — an  expression 
applied  to  those  who  are  able  to  maintain  a  good  table. 
Another  proverb  also  seems  to  hint  that  friars  are  well 
known  for  good  livers  ;  indeed,  their  general  appearance 
shows,  that  they  are  in  the  habit  of  spending  more  hours 
in  the  refectory  than  in  the  choir,  for  they  are  mostly  fat, 
corpulent  men.  The  Italian  peasantry  express  their  idea 
of  a  fat  beast  of  any  kind — a  hog,  e.  g. — by  comparing  it 
to  a  friar.  "  Porco  grasso  come  un  frate,"  "  a  hog  as  fat 
as  a  friar,"  is  a  common  expression,  and  not  meant  to 
cast  reproach  on  the  profession  of  a  friar,  but  used  as 
being  adequate  to  convey  an  idea  of  extreme  obesity. 

The  income  of  the  convents  is  principally  spent  in  this 
way.  If  the  superior  should  endeavour  to  curtail  the 
usual  number  of  dishes,  or  apply  the  money  of  the  con- 
vent to  any  other  use  than  in  satisfying  his  subjects' 
desire  of  eating  and  drinking,  he  may  be  certain  of  in- 
curring their  hatred,  and  of  being  deposed.  Letters  of 
complaint  will  be  written  against  him  to  the  general  supe- 
rior at  Rome,  and  false  accusations  will  be  brought  for- 
ward to  hasten  his  ruin.  If  he  continue  obstinate  in  his 
purpose  of  withholding  the  desired  sumptuous  entertain- 
ments, attempts  will  even  be  made  on  his  life.  Examples 
of  the  latter  method  of  aven^jing  the  wrongs  of  the  belly 


120  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

arc  numerous  ;  but  I  shall  relate  only  one,  which  fell 
under  my  own  observation. 

In  the  convent  of  the  Capuchins  at  Rome,  the  usual 
number  of  courses  every  day  is  four  for  dinner,  and  two 
for  supper,  with  a  plentiful  supply  of  wine,  fruit,  confec- 
tions, &c.  ;  though  on  feast-days,  and  other  solemn  occa- 
sions, the  above  number  is  increased  as  far  as  twelve,  and 
sometimes  twenty  !  Repairs  being  wanted  to  one  of  the 
wings  of  the  convent.  Cardinal  Micara,  who  was  general 
of  the  order  at  the  time  the  things  I  am  going  to  relate 
happened,  determined  upon  withholding  some  of  the 
usual  courses,  and  apply  the  money  thereby  saved  toward 
paying  the  expenses  of  the  requisite  repairs.  Presuming 
on  his  authority  as  general  of  the  order,  and  supposing 
that  no  one  would  have  the  boldness  to  dispute  the  will 
of  a  cardinal,  he  thought  it  needless  to  consult  the  other 
friars,  or  to  ask  their  consent,  on  the  proposed  measure. 
How  much  he  overvalued  his  authority  and  the  deference 
due  to  him  as  a  cardinal,  was  proved  in  the  sequel.  The 
friars  were  astonished  the  first  day  that  his  decision  be- 
gan to  be  put  in  practice,  to  find  themselves  put  off  with 
two  dishes  for  dinner,  and  only  one  for  supper.  Yet  they 
allowed  it  to  pass  over  in  silence,  imagining  that  it  was 
caused  by  some  extraordinary  scarcity  of  provisions  in 
the  market.  The  next  day  came,  and  the  same  number 
of  courses  were  served  up  as  the  day  before.  This  was 
followed  by  murmurs  and  whispers  among  themselves. 
They  at  last  came  to  the  determination,  and  agreed  to 
rise  in  a  body,  and  demand  the  reason  of  this  unusual 
proceeding,  should  it  be  repeated  on  the  third  day.  The 
third  day  came,  and  with  it  the  same  dinner  as  the  two 
former.  At  a  signal  before  agreed  upon,  each  and  every 
one  arose  from  his  seat,  and  clamorously  demanded  the 
reason  of  being  obliged  to  dine  on  two  courses,  contrary 
to  the  rules  and  regulations  of  the  convent.  The  supe- 
rior endeavoured  to  appease  the  tumult,  and  began  to  ex- 
plain that  such  was  the  general's  order;  but  had  not  pro- 
ceeded far  in  his  discourse,  when  he  received  a  blow  from 
a  bottle  thrown  at  him  by  some  invisible  hand,  which 
stunned  him  and  soon  covered  him  over  with  blood  and 


MONASTERIES   OF    ITALY,  ETC.  121 

wine ;  the  bottle  having  been  broken  against  his  head. 
The  confusion  now  became  general ;  bottles,  decanters, 
tumblers,  plates,  and  dishes,  flew  about  in  all  directions. 
The  superior,  after  recovering  a  little  from  his  blow, 
thought  it  the  best  plan  to  make  good  his  escape,  which 
he  at  length  effected,  after  receiving  a  few  more  wounds 
from  the  missiles  that  were  thrown  at  him.  He  pro- 
ceeded to  the  cardinal's  apartment,  and  related  to  him 
what  was  going  on  in  the  refectory.  The  cardinal  has- 
tened to  the  scene  of  action,  but  his  presence  was  hailed 
by  a  volley  of  jugs,  and  tumblers,  and  he  also  was  very 
glad  to  run  for  his  life,  after  receiving  three  cuts — one  of 
them  from  a  knife — which  confined  him  to  his  bed  for 
some  weeks  after.  On  regaining  his  own  apartment,  he 
despatched  one  of  his  servants  for  the  police,  who  imme- 
diately surrounded  the  convent,  and  through  their  exer- 
tions peace  was  in  some  degree  restored.  There  was 
much  blood  spilt,  and  not  few  of  the  combatants  carry 
marks  of  the  wounds  received  in  this  engagement  to  this 
day,  if  they  be  living,  and  I  have  little  doubt  but  they 
are.  The  convent  was  placed  under  an  interdict,  till  the 
ringleaders  could  be  discovered.  The  affair  was  very 
soon  spread  through  the  whole  city,  and  found  its  way 
into  the  French  newspapers.  It  was  afterward  made  the 
subject  of  a  tragi-comic  opera,  and  acted  with  great  ap- 
plause at  many  of  the  French  theatres.  The  principal 
and  leading  character  in  the  play  was  Cardinal  Micara, 
dressed  in  the  habit  of  his  order.  In  the  first  act,  he  is 
represented  plotting  with  other  aged  monks  against  the 
bellies  of  his  subjects,  and  bargaining  with  the  undertaker 
for  the  repairs  of  the  convent.  The  second  act  introduces 
the  assembly  of  monks  laying  plans  for  resisting  the  in- 
roads made  on  their  daily  allowance  of  delicacies,  and 
binding  themselves  by  a  solemn  engagement,  ratified  by 
a  glass  of  wine,  to  resist  to  the  last.  The  third  and  last 
act  represents  the  scene  of  action  ;  the  coming  of  the 
cardinal  into  the  refectory,  his  sermon  on  obedience,  his 
wounds,  his  flight,  &;c.  This  monkish  brawl  was^  fol- 
lowed by  a  serious  injury  to  the  private  interest  of  the 
cardinal ;  for  he  was  obliged  to  resign  his  office  of  nun- 
12 


122  SIX   YEARS  IN    THE 

cio  to  the  court  of  St.  Cloud,  to  which  he  was  appointed 
by  Leo  XII.  some  time  before.  He  was  well  aware,  that 
the  scandalous  scene,  in  which  he  bore  so  conspicuous  a 
part,  would  not  be  very  easily  erased  from  the  minds  of 
the  French,  and  consequently,  not  to  put  himself  in  the 
way  of  ridicule,  he  very  prudently  resigned  his  nuncia- 
ture.* 

The  refectory  is  also  the  place  where  the  young  monk 
learns,  from  the  example  of  others,  to  murmur  against  and 
calumniate  his  absent  acquaintances.  No  people  are  so 
given  to  backbiting  and  detraction  as  monks,  and  none 
exercise  it  so  freely  as  they  do,  whenever  an  opportunity 
presents  itself.  In  the  refectory  especially,  whenever  read- 
ing is  dispensed  with — and  this  very  frequently  happens 
five  days  in  the  week  perhaps — their  conversation  is  made 
up  entirely  of  criticism  on  the  conduct  and  actions  of  some 
unfortunate  monk  of  their  acquaintance,  who  is  not  pre- 
sent to  defend  himself.  If  an  indifferent  person  were 
present,  or  one  unacquainted  with  monachism,  and  its  cus- 
toms, he  would  imagine  that  the  person  on  whom  the  con- 
versation turns,  is  a  monster  of  iniquity,  and  unfit  to  bear 
the  name  of  man.  Indeed,  it  seems,  that  the  chief  end  for 
which  they  were  created,  was  for  giving  pain  to  their 
fellow  creatures  ;  and  if  it  were,  they  could  not  pursue  a 
better  course  than  the  one  daily  followed  to  arrive  at 
that  end.  A  subject  for  conversation  being  started  by  the 
superior,  perhaps,  relative  to  the  conduct  of  Father  This,  or 
Brother  That,  every  one  hastens  to  make  his  own  remarks 
upon  it,  and  draws  forth  from  his  retentive  memory  some 
past  failing  or  other  of  the  unfortunate  monk's.  Thus 
they  continue  eating  and  murmuring,  drinking  and  ca- 
lumniating, till  the  signal  is  given  for  returning  thanks. 
Then  all  arise,  and  the  superior  begins  the  form  of  prayer 
for  the  occasion  with  the  words,  "  tu  autem,  Domine, 
miserere  nobis,"    "  pity  us,  0  Lord ;"   as  if  the  Lord 

*  The  above  description  of  the  drama  I  had  from  a  French  gentle- 
man, who  assured  me,  that  he  himself  saw  it  acted  on  the  theatre  of 
Marseilles.  I  have  no  reason  to  doubt  the  truth  of  his  assertion, 
though  I  never  saw  a  copy  of  it  myself,  nor  ever  knew  any  other 
person  who  saw  it  acted. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  123 

could  be  pleased  with  men  whose  only  and  greatest  plea- 
sure lies  in  gratifying  the  brutal  passions  of  eating  to 
excess,  drinking  in  proportion,  and  tearing  asunder  the 
characters  of  their  absent  brethren.  It  is  not  enough  for 
them  to  indulge  their  bodies  in  feeding  upon  the  meat 
obtained  at  the  expense  of  every  principle  that  ennobles 
human  nature,  but  they  must  also  indulge  their  spleen 
and  rancour — the  most  hateful  passions  of  the  mind — in 
taking  away  the  good  name  of  some  of  their  fellow  victims 
— for  they  are  all  victims  to  the  detestable,  unchristian 
system  of  monkery.  Nor  let  it  be  thought  too  bold  an 
assertion  to  say,  that  their  meat  or  living  is  obtained  at 
the  "  expense  of  every  principle  that  ennobles  human 
nature ;"  for  what  can  be  more  debasing  to  the  human 
mind,  than  to  yield  an  implicit,  blind  obedience  to  one 
who,  it  feels  conscious,  very  often  commands  things  quite 
at  variance  with  its  own  innate  sense  of  right?  Is  not 
the  whole  life  of  a  monk  one  uninterrupted  scene  of  lies 
and  imposition  ?  Is  he  not  daily  acting  the  part  of  an 
impostor  and  hypocrite,  when,  at  the  command  of  an 
atheistical  superior,  he  teaches  doctrines  in  which  he 
does  not  believe  himself?  And  to  what  else  do  all  these 
labours  and  pains  in  the  service  of  Satan,  and  in  bringing 
the  souls  of  his  fellow  men  under  the  grasp  of  that 
enemy — to  what  else,  I  say,  do  they  tend  than  to  obtain 
wherewithal  to  satisfy  the  factitious  and  artificial  wants 
of  inordinate  desires  ?  To  supply  the  refectory  with 
more  than  is  often  thought  necessary  for  the  tables  of 
princes  !  If  this  be  not  obtaining  bread  at  the  sacrifice 
of  virtue  and  truth,  I  do  not  know  what  is  !  Human  na- 
ture is  therefore  debased,  and  he  cannot  be  a  good  monk, 
who  does  not  sacrifice  every  generous  feeling,  every  prin- 
ciple, by  which  man  is  rendered  superior  to  the  brute,  at 
the  monstrous  shrine  of  monkery. 

I  have  already,  in  another  part  of  this  book,  given  some 
examples  of  the  evil  effects  following  persecution  ;  I  shall 
now  relate  one  illustrative  of  another  branch  of  persecu- 
tion— calumny  or  backbiting,  to  wit;  which  is  near  akin 
to  persecution,  with  this  sole  difference,  that  the  latter  is 
conducted  openly,  and  in  the  face  of  all,  whereas  the 


124  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

former  is  carried  on  privately,  and  the  subject  of  it  very 
seldom  becomes  aware  of  his  danger  till  he  finds  himself 
on  the  brink  of  ruin. 

A  young  monk,  whose  name  I  do  not  now  recollect, 
though  I  was  slightly  acquainted  with  him,  being  sent  by 
the  general  to  preach  at  a  village  in  the  Campagna  di 
Roma,  took  up  his  residence  at  the  house  of  a  respectable 
inhabitant  of  that  village,  where  there  was  a  young  woman, 
a  daughter  of  the  master  of  the  house.  It  happened  that 
he  fell  dangerously  ill  before  the  end  of  the  lent,*  and 
being  unable  to  remove  to  his  convent,  he  was  obliged  to 
remain  at  the  forementioned  house  till  after  his  recovery. 
During  his  illness  he  was  treated  with  the  greatest  atten- 
tion by  every  member  of  the  family,  and  by  no  one  more 
so  than  by  the  young  woman  who  was  the  mistress  of  it ; 
her  mother  being  dead.  On  being  reinstated  in  health, 
he  was  diffuse  in  his  thanks  to  the  gentleman  and  his 
daughter  for  their  kind  treatment ;  and  as  a  more  substan- 
tial proof  of  his  gratitude,  he  presented  the  latter  with 
a  valuable  gold  ring,  which  he  bought  designedly  for  that 
purpose.  But  that  ring  was  the  beginning  of  his  misfor- 
tunes. The  young  woman,  not  even  thinking,  at  this 
time,  of  any  thing  improper,  made  no  secret  of  the  ring, 
and  showed  it  to  a  great  many  of  her  acquaintances,  and 
among  others,  she  showed  it  to  another  monk  of  the  same 
order  with  him  from  whom  she  got  it.  He  being  a  private 
enemy  of  the  other,  and  only  waiting  for  an  opportunity 
of  bringing  something  forward  that  might  injure  him,  soon 
told  it  to  a  second  with  some  additions  ;  the  second  then 
told  it  to  a  third,  and  it  went  from  one  to  another  in  this 
way,  until  it  became  at  length  the  table  talk  of  the  entire 
province.  It  at  last  reached  the  general's  ears  only  a  few 
days  before  the  young  monk  himself  was  publicly  up- 
braided by  one  of  the  other  monks  with  whom  he  had 
some    falling   out,   with   having   debauched    the    young 

*  Lent  is  the  only  season  of  the  year  in  which  there  are  sermons 
every  day  in  the  churches  of  Italy.  At  other  times,  except  a  panegyric 
on  a  saint,  or  Sermon  in  praise  of  the  Madonna,  the  entire  devotion 
of  the  people  is  spent  on  the  dramatic  mummery  of  the  mass,  or  some 
other  unscriptural  ceremony. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  125 

woman,  and  of  having  given  her  a  ring  in  token  of  his 
love.  This  accusation,  of  which  he  knew  himself  inno- 
cent, struck  him  speechless,  and  his  silence  was  construed 
by  the  others  into  a  tacit  confession  of  his  guilt.  He 
was  sent  for,  to  make  his  appearance  at  Rome  before  the 
general,  and  answer  the  accusation.  He  appeared,  and 
denied  having  had  intercourse  with  the  young  woman, 
requesting  at  the  same  time  to  know  the  authors  of  the 
calumny.  The  general  replied,  that  the  ring  which  he 
had  given  her  was  a  sufficient  proof  of  his  guilt,  and  that 
the  young  woman  herself  confessed  to  her  father,  that  she 
was  with  child,  and  that  she  had  been  violated  by  him. 
The  young  man  knew  not  what  to  do,  and  being  unable 
to  bring  forward  any  thing  in  proof  of  his  innocence,  he 
was  suspended  from  the  priesthood,  and  sent  a  prisoner 
to  the  dungeon  of  the  inquisition  at  Corneto,  there  to  live 
confined  the  remainder  of  his  life.  His  innocence,  how- 
ever, afterward  appeared,  for  the  young  woman,  brought 
to  the  grave  in  giving  birth  to  a  child,  being  seized  with 
remorse,  confessed  publicly  before  her  death,  that  she  had 
falsely  accused  the  young  monk,  and  that  she  had  been 
betrayed  by  another  young  man,  who  paid  his  addresses 
to  her,  and  afterward  deserted  her.  She  also  confessed 
that  she  laid  the  crime  of  seduction  to  the  charge  of  the 
monk,  being  excited  to  do  so  by  her  confessor,  who  told 
her  that  she  would  be  received  into  a  nunnery  after  the 
birth  of  her  child,  if  she  could  prove  that  she  had  been 
violated  by  an  ecclesiastic.  The  most  extraordinary  cir- 
cumstance in  this  story  is,  that  the  confessor  who  gave 
the  young  woman  this  perfidious  advice,  turned  out  to  be 
the  young  monk's  secret  enemy,  and  the  most  active  pro- 
pagator, and  indeed  the  first  inventor,  of  this  most  scandal- 
ous falsehood.  So  much  for  the  conscience  of  confessors, 
who  hold  the  office  of  judges  between  God  and  man  ! 
The  young  monk  was  afterward  released  from  prison, 
and  obtained  leave  from  the  pope  to  leave  the  order 
altogether.  What  became  of  him  after  his  secularization, 
I  never  could  learn,  as  he  quitted  the  Roman  state  and 
retired  to  Lombardy,  his  native  province. 

This  young  man's  character  was  torn  asunder  a  mil- 
12* 


126  SIX   YEARS    IN    THE 

lion  of  times  in  every  refectory  of  the  province,  before 
the  false  accusation  reached  his  own  ears  ;  and  I  remem- 
ber to  have  seen  joy  sparkling  in  the  eyes,  and  breaking 
forth  from  the  countenances  of  his  fiend-like  calumnia- 
tors, while  discussing  this,  to  them,  pleasing  subject. 
Many  other  crimes  were  also  laid  to  his  charge,  which 
never  existed  but  in  the  treacherous  minds  of  his  ac- 
cusers and  calumniators.  They  knew  very  well,  that 
if  the  first  accusation  could  be  made  good,  all  other  ac- 
cusations, however  improbable  they  might  be,  would  be 
easily  credited.  They,  therefore,  in  order  to  satisfy  their 
malicious  dispositions,  and  to  give  food  to  their  hellish 
appetite  for  the  misery  of  others,  scrupled  not  to  lay  to 
the  charge  of  one  that  never  offended  or  injured  them, 
crimes  of  the  most  enormous  dye — and  all  this  for  the 
fiendish  satisfaction  of  triumphing  over  a  fallen  brother, 
whom  they  should  rather  have  endeavoured  to  reform 
than  to  calumniate — if  they  were  possessed  of  the  small- 
est particle  of  that  to  which  they  so  audaciously  lay 
claim — gospel  perfection. 

Another  subject  of  discussion  in  the  refectory  is  the 
quality  of  the  food,  and  the  manner  in  which  it  is  prepared. 
Many  monks  are  excellent  cooks,  and  though  they  do 
not  perform  the  laborious  part  of  cookery,  yet  they  give 
their  directions  and  superintend  the  business  of  the 
kitchen  with  great  attention — much  greater  perhaps  than 
they  bestow  upon  the  works  of  the  ministry.  There  is 
always  appointed  in  each  convent  a  superintendent  of 
the  cooking  department,  or  clerk  of  the  kitchen,  whose 
duty  it  is  to  give  directions  to  the  lay-brothers,  who  are 
the  working  cooks,  of  the  manner  in  which  such  and 
such  dishes  should  be  prepared,  and  according  as  he  may 
perform  this  office  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  other  monks, 
his  future  promotion  to  the  higher  dignities  of  the  order 
depends.  If  dinner  be  badly  prepared,  a  general  mur- 
mur ensues,  and  the  poor  cook  is  immediately  called 
upon  to  render  an  account  of  his  want  of  attention.  If 
he  can  give  no  satisfactory  reason  for  the  soup's  beingtoo 
salt,  or  badly  tasted,  or  the  meat's  being  over-boiled,  or 
half-raw,  he  is  liable  to  be  instantly  punished   by  the 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  127 

superior.  Sometimes  the  clamour  against  him  is  so 
great,  especially  if  he  should  fail  in  his  cooking  two  or 
three  times  successively,  that  the  monks  inflict  punish- 
ment on  him  with  their  own  hands,  and  thus,  in  a  sum- 
mary way,  take  vengeance  for  the  trespasses,  which  his 
carelessness  or  want  of  skill  committed  against  their 
palates.  This,  however,  seldom  occurs,  as  they  usually 
leave  it  to  the  superior  to  decree  what  punishment  is  due 
to  so  great  an  offender.  The  punishment  more  fre- 
quently inflicted  on  him  is  the  discipline,  and  bread  and 
water  for  dinner,  which  he  must  eat  on  his  knees.  The 
discipline  is  a  sort  of  punishment  which  cannot  but 
appear  strange  to  the  generality  of  people  in  this  country ; 
it  may  not  then  be  thought  foreign  to  the  subject  to  give 
a  short  description  of  it,  especially  as  it  is  only  among 
monks  that  had  cooking  is  punished  with  the  lash. 

The  monk,  having  received  his  sentence  while  on  his 
knees  in  front  of  the  seat  occupied  by  the  superior,  kisses 
the  ground  in  token  of  humility  and  obedience.  He 
then  retires  to  the  farthest  corner  of  the  refectory,  and 
kneeling  down,  draws  his  habit  over  his  head,  by  which 
his  bare  back  is  exposed,  and  with  a  cord  prepared  for 
that  purpose,  begins  the  act  of  flagellation,  singing  in 
the  mean  time  the  "  Miserere  ;"  which  being  finished,  he 
draws  down  the  habit  again,  and  having  put  it  in  order, 
proceeds  to  the  head  of  the  table,  where  the  superior  is 
seated,  and  asks  pardon,  first  from  him,  and  then  of  the 
other  monks,  for  the  fault  he  had  committed.  He  then 
returns  to  his  own  place,  and  taking  the  bread  and  water 
from  the  table,  he  places  them  before  him,  and  having 
first  asked  leave  from  the  superior,  commences  his  dinner. 
The  other  monks  all  this  time  continue  in  their  seats, 
and  enjoy  the  satisfaction  of  seeing  him  punished,  with 
feelings  rendered  still  more  hostile  by  having  their  dinner 
spoiled  through  the  culprit's  carelessness. 

This  punishment  is  seldom  inflicted  for  any  other  fault 
than  that  of  bad  cooking.  Indeed,  this  is  considered  one 
of  the  greatest  crimes  of  which  a  monk  can  be  guilty, 
and  is,  therefore,  punished  with  unusual  severity.  If, 
however,  the  cook  should  still  continue  to  send  to  the 


128  SIX   YEARS  IN  THE 

table  badly  cooked  or  unsavoury  dishes,  he  is  then  dis- 
missed altogether  from  that  office,  as  being  one  incapable 
of  performing  it,  and  transferred  to  some  other  of  less 
responsibility  ;  or  if  he  is  not  professed,  he  is  dismissed 
from  the  order  altogether,  as  one  likely  to  be  of  no  ad- 
vantage to  it. 

The  lent,  or  lents,  for  some  orders  have  more  than 
one,  are  passed  in  the  same  round  of  feasting  as  any 
other  part  of  the  year.  The  only  difference  is,  that  fish 
takes  the  place  of  flesh.  If  the  expense  be  looked  to, 
a  dinner  of  the  former  is  far  more  expensive  than  one  of 
the  latter.  The  same  number  of  dishes  is  served  up, 
consisting  of  different  kinds  of  fish,  or  if  different  kinds 
cannot  be  obtained  either  for  love  or  money,  then  the 
same  kind,  but  prepared  in  different  ways,  is  used.  Boil- 
ed, fried,  roasted,  and  stewed  fish  is  often  served  up  at 
the  same  meal  The  soup — an  indispensable  article  in 
an  Italian  dinner — is  in  lent  composed  of  rice  boiled  in 
almond-milk,  which  is  so  very  dear,  as  only  to  be  used 
as  a  delicacy  at  the  table  of  the  rich  ;  yet  monks,  who  by 
their  vows  are  sworn  to  observe  a  life  of  poverty  and 
abstinence,  think  it  no  sin  to  vie  with  the  rich  in  delica- 
cies of  this  kind.  Supper  in  lent,  or  collation  as  it  is 
called  on  account  of  its  being  something  less  than  an 
ordinary  supper,  i.  e.  a  monk's  supper,  consists  of  only 
one  plate  of  fish  and  some  salad.  Monks  make  a  great 
noise  in  the  world  about  their  fasting  and  abstinence,  and 
about  the  severity  with  which  lent  is  observed  within  the 
walls  of  their  convent ;  but  a  peep  within  the  scene  will 
soon  convince  any  unprejudiced  observer,  that  their  fast- 
ings, (fee.  like  many  other  of  their  practices,  cannot  bear 
the  public  eye.  They,  therefore,  put  on  mortified  coun 
tenances  when  they  go  out,  and  report  in  every  place 
they  visit,  that  their  diet  in  lent  is  wholly  made  up  of  oil 
and  herbs  ;  thus  adding  lying,  as  they  usually  do  in  other 
things,  to  hypocrisy  in  this,  also.  So  far  from  the  ob- 
servance of  lent  being  considered  as  a  penance,  many  of 
them,  who  prefer  fish  to  flesh-meat,  long  for  its  arrival, 
being  sure  of  satisfying  their  desire  of  eating  at  that  time, 
with  more  gout  than  at  any  other  season  of  the  year. 


MONASTERIES   OF    ITALY,  ETC.  129 


CHAPTER  XVII. 

Effects  of  bad  example — Its  effect  on  the  Author's  mind — He  seeks 
the  advice  of  his  confessor — The  confessor's  apology  for  the  vices 
of  his  order — A  word  of  advice  from  the  same  for  the  Author's  pri- 
vate use — Tampering  with  the  consciences  of  others,  as  practised 
in  the  confessional — The  Author  practises  upon  his  confessor's  ad- 
vice— Falls  into  infidelity — Argues  publicly  against  the  existence  of 
God — Becomes  an  object  of  suspicion  to  his  fellow  monks — Search 
made  in  his  room  for  heretical  books  and  papers — Johnson's  Dic- 
tionary convicted  of  heresy — Ordination — Number  of  orders  in  the 
Romish  church — In  what  the  candidate  for  ordination  is  examined 
— Character  of  Monsignor  Macioti,  Suffragan-bishop  of  ViUetri — 
Episcopus  in  partibus. 

In  such  a  school  as  this  the  young  monk,  just  freed 
from  the  restraint  in  which  he  had  been  held  during  the 
year  of  probation,  soon  learns  to  forget  whatever  good 
principles  he  may  have  imbibed  from  the  precepts  and 
instruction  of  his  master-novice.  Those  instructions, 
though  tending  to  form  erroneous  ideas  of  things,  and  to 
judge  falsely  of  matters  bearing  a  near  relation  to  the  good 
of  society,  and  to  his  own  eternal  welfare,  were  at  least 
clothed  in  the  garb  of  truth,  and  had  the  power  of  restrain- 
ing him  in  some  degree  from  open  acts  of  impiety.  But 
the  evil  doings  of  the  other  monks,  their  murmurings, 
their  love  of  defamation,  tjieir  insatiable  desire  of  indulg- 
ing in  sensual  gratifications,  especially  in  those  of  the 
table,  and  their  lukewarm,  not  to  call  it  impious  manner, 
of  going  through  the  services,  which  are  intended,  how- 
ever erroneously,  for  the  worship  of  God ;  all  these 
things  united,  soon  make  him  throw  aside,  as  useless,  the 
principles  of  a  reUgious  life  which  he  had  imbibed,  and 
plunge  headlong  into  the  vortex  of  corruption  and  irre- 
ligion,  in  which  his  fellow  monks  are  so  deeply  sunk. 
He  may  at  first,  perhaps,  lake  but  little  part  in  the  petty 
brawls  and  quarrels  which  agitate  his  brethren,  and  may 
be  too  scrupulous  in  doing  gratuitous  injury  to  those  from 
whom  he  has  received  none  ;  but  after  some  years',  nay, 


130  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

months'  practice  and  daily  example  set  him  by  others,  he 
will  soon,  too  soon,  take  an  active  part  in  these  scenes, 
and  make  himself  a  ringleader  in  the  practice  of  those 
very  things  which  at  first  appeared  to  him  so  sinful,  so 
disgusting,  and  so  unbecoming  the  character  of  men  who 
are  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God,  and  to  the  preaching 
of  his  laws  to  their  fellow  men.  But  as  a  bad  tree  cannot 
bring  forth  good  fruit,  so  also  monkery,  essentially  bad 
in  itself,  cannot  possibly  be  followed  by  any  other  effects 
than  what  flow  from  the  corrupt  fountain  of  unrestrained 
human  passions,  and  from  the  practice  of  a  false  system 
of  religion. 

When  first  introduced  into  such  scenes  as  these  de- 
scribed in  the  last  chapter,  I  really  imagined  myself  re- 
moved into  a  different  sphere  of  existence  altogether.  I 
could  hardly  conceive  it  possible,  that  men,  whose  osten- 
sible object  in  life  is  the  service  of  God,  and  the  edifica- 
tion of  God's  people,  could  act  in  a  way  diametrically 
opposite  to  the  fulfilment  of  that  object.  Farther  expe- 
rience soon  convinced  me  that  God  and  his  service  took 
up  the  smallest  portion  of  their  thoughts,  and  that  selfy 
and  the  gratification  of  their  passions,  were  the  things 
which  each  and  every  one  had  most  at  heart.  I  soon 
became  convinced  that  the  religious  habit  was  used  as  a 
cloak  to  cover  over  their  detestable  vices,  and  that  the 
preaching  of  God's  word,  and  the  administration  of  church 
rites,  were  used  as  instruments,  through  the  medium  of 
which  they  might  more  easily 'attain  their  desired  ends. 
In  place  of  realizing  a  quiet,  holy,  undisturbed  life,  which 
I  so  fondly  anticipated,  I  found  that  such  a  life  would  be 
more  practicable  in  the  midst  of  worldly  pursuits  than  in 
the  society  of  monks  ;  and  that  a  religious,  serious  deport- 
ment, so  far  from  obtaining  for  its  possessor  love  and 
esteem,  among  them  would  only  procure  him  hatred  and 
ridicule.  What  my  feelings  must  have  been  on  thus 
finding  my  long  cherished  hopes  of  happiness  in  the 
monastic  life,  totally  destroyed  by  becoming  practically 
acquainted  with  that  life,  itself,  and  how  I  must  have  re- 
gretted the  vow  which  I  had  a  little  before  taken,  of  adher- 
ing to  it  for  ever,  thereby  leaving  to  myself  no  opening 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  131 

for  retraction,  may  be  more  easily  imagined  than  de- 
scribed. I,  for  a  long  time,  wished  to  persuade  myself, 
so  loath  was  I  to  be  undeceived,  that  things  which  ap- 
peared to  me  evil  and  indecorous,  may  be  in  themselves 
harmless,  or  at  least,  indiflerent,  and  that  the  evil  of 
them  consisted  more  in  my  manner  of  viewing  them  than 
in  the  things  viewed.  But  this  deception  of  my  better 
judgment  could  not  last  for  ever,  for  the  more  I  observed 
them,  the  stronger  grew  the  opinion  of  their  being  any 
thing  but  in  accordance  with  the  precepts  of  revealed,  oi 
even  of  natural  religion.  I  began,  therefore,  to  judge 
more  freely  of  the  morals  of  my  brethren,  and  to  feel 
satisfied  that  their  manner  of  living  must  appear  unbecom- 
ing and  indecorous  to  any  one,  judging  it  even  by  the 
standard  of  natural  morality,  not  to  mind  the  more  rigor- 
ous standard  of  Divine  revelation.  These  opinions  so 
long  resisted,  and  considered  as  temptations  of  the  devil,  I 
now,  that  I  could  resist  them  no  longer,  thought  it  advi- 
sable to  lay  before  my  confessor,  while  seated  in  his  tri- 
bunal— the  confessional,  and  ask  his  advice  thereon.  I 
had  not,  at  this  time,  entertained  the  smallest  doubt  of  the 
truth  and  holiness  of  all  and  every  doctrine  of  the  church 
of  Rome,  nor  did  it  once  enter  my  mind,  that  the  cause 
of  the  evil  lives  of  the  monks  should  be  attributed  to  the 
corrupt  form  of  religion  which  they  professed,  and  of 
which  they  were  the  ministers.  Had  such  thoughts  oc- 
curred, I  should  have  resisted  them  as  temptations  from 
the  evil  one,  indeed.  I  had  then  little  imagined  that  a 
time  would  come  when  it  would  please  the  Almighty  to 
dispel  darkness  from  my  benighted  soul,  and  show  me 
the  way  in  which  he  loves  to  be  worsl^pped,  and  from 
which  way  no  bad  effects  can  follow.  But  this  happened 
many  years  after.  Believing,  firmly  believing,  indeed, 
in  the  Divine  institution  of  auricular  confession,  as  one  of 
the  infallible  doctrines  of  Rome,  and  convinced  that  it 
was  the  only  safe  method  by  which  sinners  could  be  re- 
lieved of  their  doubts  and  fears,  and  that  through  it  remis- 
sion of  sins  is  really  obtained,  I  approached,  with  reve- 
rentiBl  awe,  the  judgment  seat  of  the  priest,  having  already 


132  SIX    YEARS   IN    THE 

resolved  to  make  the  sins  of  others,  and  not  my  own,  the 
subject  of  my  confession — to  lay  before  him  my  thoughts, 
my  opinions,  my  judgment,  and  my  temptations  con- 
cerning the  conduct  of  the  other  monks.  He  heard  me 
very  patiently  to  the  end,  and  then  replied, ^rs/,  that  the 
tribunal  of  penance  was  the  place  for  hearing  the  sinner 
confess  the  sins  committed  by  himself,  and  not  for 
hearing  a  sinner  accusing  fellow  sinners  of  sin  ;  "  but," 
continued  he,  "  as  I  have  heard  you  so  far,  and  as  you 
have  asked  my  judgment — not  opinion,  (this  was  said  in 
character,)  on  the  bad  customs  and  evil  practices  of  our 
brethren,  1  must  acknowledge  that  their  general  conduct 
is  not  in  accordance  with  a  life  of  gospel  purity,  which 
their  sacred  character  of  priests  obliges  them  to  attain,  and 
that  when  examined  by  the  standard  of  gospel  morality, 
it  must  appear  to  every  observer  in  the  same  sinful  light 
it  has  appeared  to  you.  But,  dear  brother,  we  must  con*- 
sider  that  monks  are  also  men,  as  well  as  those  living  in 
the  world,  and  that  he  '  who  goes  about  like  a  roaring 
lion,  seeking  whom  he  may  devour,'  takes  more  plea- 
sure in  tempting  them  than  in  tempting  others  ;  and  that, 
withdrawing  from  the  world  and  dedicating  themselves  to 
the  worship  of  God  do  not  necessarily  include  a  freedom 
from  those  passions  to  which  all  men,  more  or  less,  are 
subject."  He  finished  his  apology  for  their  vices  by  a 
word  of  advice  directed  to  myself,  the  sum  of  which  was, 
"  that  I  should  be  cautious  how  I  showed  any  sign  of 
disgust  or  dislike  at  the  conduct  of  others  ;  and  that  now 
was  the  time,  while  young,  of  conciliating  the  favour 
of  my  brethren,  by  overlooking  their  faults,  and  charita- 
bly attributing  them  to  an  erroneous  judgment,  and  the 
weakness  of  human  nature,  and  not  to  premeditated  in- 
tention of  offending  God,  and  injuring  their  fellow  men. 
If  I  acted  otherwise,  it  would  be  the  cause  of  blighting 
my  future  prospects  of  arriving  at  any  dignity  in  the 
order,  and  would  bring  down  upon  me  retaliation  from 
the  persons  whose  conduct  I  took  the  liberty  of  criticis-  ' 
ing,  which  would  very  probably  cause  me  no  small  share 
of  uneasiness  and  trouble." 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  133 

The  foregoing  is  the  substance  of  the  advice,  as  far  as 
I  can  now  recollect,  which  my  confessor  thought  it  his 
duty  to  give  me.  By  it  may  be  seen  the  iniquitous  tam- 
pering with  the  consciences  of  others  practised  in  the 
confessional,  and  the  settled  plan  of  making  the  fool, 
who  bends  his  knee  to  that  seat  of  judgment,  be  recon- 
ciled to  every  practice,  every  open  immorality  of  the 
clergys  A  minister  of  Christ,  one,  too,  arrogating  to 
himself  the  representation  of  the  person  of  Christ  in 
his  ministerial  office,  making  an  apology  for  the  vices 
of  his  order  in  the  very  exercise  of  that  office,  is  in 
itself  horrible  ;  but  when  the  same  minister,  not  con- 
tent to  apologize  for  vice,  also  encourages  the  person, 
whom  superstition  and  a  false  notion  of  religion  brought 
to  his  knees,  in  order  to  ask  advice  for  his  future  con- 
duct ;  when  he  encourages  and  exhorts  such  a  person  to 
conform  himself  to  the  reigning  vices,  or  at  least  to  give 
them  his  sanction  by  passing  them  over  in  silence,  under 
pain  of  injuring  his  future  prospects  of  aggrandizement, 
or  of  drawing  upon  himself  and  incurring  the  hatred  of 
the  evil-doers  ;  when  the  minister  uses  his  authority  as 
representative  of  Christ  in  advising — which,  from  a  con- 
fessor, is  the  same  as  commanding — such  abominable 
things  as  these,  then  indeed  it  must  be  manifest,  to  even 
the  most  incredulous,  that  popish  theory,  as  well  as 
practice,  is  detestable,  and  that  the  confessional,  so  far 
from  being  a  place  wherein  the  sinner  is  advised  to  ab- 
stain from  sin,  is  converted  into  a  place  to  inculcate  the 
precept  of  sinning.  This  assertion  will  perhaps  be 
denied  by  a  great  many  unacquainted  with  the  evil  ten- 
dency of  popish  inventions  ;  but  let  those  who  have 
every  day  before  their  eyes  the  gross  immoralities  of  the 
Romish  hierarchy,  and  who  are  aware  that  such  immo- 
ralities are  the  effects  of  theory,  speak  and  deny  the 
truth  of  it  if  they  can.  His  apology,  however,  for  the 
vices  of  the  order  did  not  satisfy  me,  though  I  was  weak 
enough  to  put  in  practice  his  advice.  I  began  to  conform 
myself  by  degrees  to  the  established  customs,  and,  from 
»  disgusted  spectator,  was  in  a  short  time  changed  into 


184  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

an  animated  actor  on  the  theatre  of  monkery.  I  soon 
learned  to  take  pleasure  in  the  misfortune  of  others,  and, 
for  self-preservation,  to  attack  when  attacked,  calumniate 
when  calumniated,  thwart  when  thwarted,  murmur  when 
murmured  against ;  in  fine,  I  arrived  at  such  perfection 
in  the  art  of  tormenting,  and  in  the  art  of  sinning,  that 
I  very  soon  became  the  aggressor,  without  having  re- 
ceived any  provocation,  and  was  able  to  beat  the  most 
experienced  among  them,  at  their  own  weapons. 

From  this  time  I  may  date  my  gradual  fall  into  infi- 
delity, I  first  became  lukewarm  in  the  discharge  of  my 
religious  duties  ;  to  this  succeeded  indifference,  and  from 
indiflference  to  infidelity  it  is  well  known  how  easy  is 
the  transition.  The  study  of  philosophy,  especially  that 
part  of  it  called  metaphysics,  performed  an  extraordinary 
change  in  my  mind  and  opinions,  and  directed  my 
thoughts  into  a  channel  in  which  they  were  unaccustomed 
to  run.  Every  doctrine,  however  absurd,  every  story, 
however  insulting  to  reason  and  wide  of  probability,  was 
.swallowed  with  avidity  before  ;  but  now  I  took  pleasure 
in  examining  for  myself,  and  experienced  great  joy  if  I 
could  invent  some  argument  by  which  I  might  be  able 
to  prove  false  or  improbable  some  leading  doctrine  of 
Christianity.  I  remember  to  have  about  this  time — the 
third  year  of  my  being  a  monk — argued  and  proposed 
objections  against  the  existence  of  God,  in  a  public  dis- 
putation held  for  that  purpose,  and  to  have  received  great 
applause  for  causing  my  opponent — the  defender  of  God's 
existence,  (who,  by-the-way,  had  hardly  an  ounce  of 
brains) — to  stumble,  and  be  unable  to  maintain  his  thesis. 
Though  I  prefaced  my  objections  with  a  declaration  that 
whatever  would  be  brought  forward  by  me  in  the  heat 
of  argument,  if  contrary  to  the  received  doctrine  of  the 
church,  (in  which  I  am  a  firm  believer,  I  added,  hypo- 
critically enough,)  should  not  be  considered  as  my  real 
opinions,  but  used  on  the  present  occasion  for  the  sake 
of  exercise  in  the  art  of  reasoning ;  I  nevertheless  re- 
ceived, with  heartfelt  delight,  the  applause  received  from 
those  who  saw  my  stupid  adversary  unable  to  confute  the 
flimsy  and  impious  sophisms  which  I  urged  against  his 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  135 

thesis — against  the  existence  of  God.*  I  went  farther; 
I  even  wished  to  persuade  myself  that  my  arguments 
were  invincible  and  unanswerable,  and  that  they  proved 
the  whole  world — from  the  savage  to  the  philosopher — 
guilty  of  error  on  account  of  giving  credit  to  that  which, 
indeed,  requires  a  far  greater  degree  of  credulity  not  to 
believe  than  to  believe.  Thus,  without  understanding 
Christianity,  or  without  knowing  more  concerning  it  than 
what  can  be  picked  up  at  the  corrupted  fountain  of  popery, 
I  was  induced,  partly  through  the  scandalous  lives  of 
its  ministers — the  monks — and  partly  through  giving  un- 
restrained liberty  to  ray  fancy — not  reason,  for  of  that  I 
had  as  little  as  most  modern  infidels — to  deny,  first,  the 
doctrines  which  are  the  inventions  of  popery,  and  which, 
at  that  time,  I  was  unable  to  distinguish  from  genuine 
Christianity;  and  then,  Christianity  itself — having  cou- 
pled in  my  own  mind  Christianity  and  popery,  as  if  the 
one  could  not  exist  without  the  other ! 

About  the  beginning  of  the  fifth  year  of  my  monkish 
life,  very  strong  suspicions  began  to  be  entertained,  by 
my  brethren,  that  I  was  not  a  firm  believer  in  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Roman  Catholic  church.  These  suspicions 
were  confirmed  by  an  outward  want  of  attention  on  my 
part  to  the  practice  and  ceremonies  of  religion  as  exer- 
cised in  the  convent,  and  by  many  unguarded  expressions 
which  I  often  allowed  to  escape  me  while  in  conversa- 
tion with  those  whom  I  imagined  to  be,  and  who  really 
were,  of  my  own  opinion.  Though  all  monks,  or  at 
least  the  greater  part  of  them,  are  confirmed  infidels, 
they  yet  have  a  dislike  to  those  who  outwardly  show 
their  unbelief;  not  that  they  have  themselves  any  love 

*  It  is  lawful  to  dispute  upon  every  doctrine  of  Christianity  at  the 
public  schools  in  Rome,  that  is,  the  fundamental  doctrines  of  that 
religion,  as  the  divinity  of  Christ,  the  Trinity,  the  existence  of  God, 
&c.  &c.,  because  such  tenets  can  bear  inquiry,  and  the  more  they  are 
examined,  the  stronger  and  firmer  will  they  become ;  but  equal  liberty 
is  not  granted  for  disputation  upon  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  the 
church  of  Rome.  Thus,  it  is  unlawful  to  call  into  dispute  the  su- 
premacy of  the  pope,  his  infallibility,  the  divine  institution  of  the 
leading  doctrines  of  the  church,  &c.  &c. ;  for  these  cannot  bear  in- 
quiry, and  must  therefore  be  believed  on  the  ipse  dixit  of  the  pope. 


13S  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

for  Christianity,  but  rather  because  they  fear  that  an  infi- 
del and  unbeliever  who  has  not  prudence  enough  to  dis- 
guise his  real  opinions,  even  in  the  presence  of  his 
associates,  will  not  be  very  zealous  in  propagating  the 
tenets  of  popery,  and  in  consulting  for  the  good  of  the 
ordei- — the  two  things  on  which  their  influence  over  the 
minds  of  the  people,  and  the  emoluments  necessary  to 
their  subsistence,  depend. 

One  of  the  monks  with  whom  I  had  a  very  close  friend- 
ship, and  in  whom  I  placed  great  confidence,  informed 
the  superior  privately,  that  I  was  disseminating  opinions 
dangerous  to  the  good  of  the  order,  and  that  I  had  a  great 
many  heretical  books  in  my  room  which  he  did  not  un- 
derstand, but  was  sure  they  could  not  be  goocU  because 
written  in  English;  and  also,  that  I  was  continually 
writing  and  taking  extracts  from  the  same  books,  which, 
if  brought  to  light  and  examined  by  some  one  acquainted 
with  the  English  language,  would  place  beyond  all  doubt, 
my  having  fallen  off  from  a  steady  belief  in  the  doctrines 
of  the  church.  This  insidious  information  increased  the 
suspicion  which  was  already  but  too  strong  against  my 
orthodoxy.  Having,  however,  got  a  hint  of  it,  and  sus- 
pecting that  a  search  in  my  room  for  books  and  papers 
would  follow,  I  thought  it  prudent  to  convey  my  books 
out  of  the  way,  and  commit  to  the  flames  my  papers, 
which  were  chiefly  taken  up  with  remarks  upon  mona- 
chism,  satires  upon  the  monks,  and  extracts  from  the 
books  1  had  in  my  possession.  I  then  borrowed  from 
the  convent  library  four  or  five  feet  of  theology,  two  or 
three  of  councils,  as  many  of  morality,  and  nearly  a  yard 
of  legendary  lore,  lives  of  saints,  &c.,  which  I  conveyed 
into  my  room,  and  with  them  supplied  the  vacuum  left 
by  the  removal  of  my  own  books.  The  search,  as  I  ex- 
pected, was  made  some  days  after,  by  the  professor  and 
local  superior ;  but  they  could  not  help  laughing,  when 
they  found  nothing  tut  theology,  morality,  metaphy- 
sics, legends,  lives  of  saints,  &c.  &c.  The  only  book 
which  they  made  any  objection  to^  and  which  I  thought 
it  needless  to  remove,  was  a  Johnson's  Dictionary.  This 
immediately  was  accused  of  heresy,  and  why  ?    Because 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  137 

written  in  English,  and  because  they  could  not  under- 
stand it.*  Poor  Samuel  Johnson  was  accordingly  seized 
upon,  and  carried  for  trial  before  one  of  the  older  monks, 
who  had  a  smattering  of  English,  which  he  learned  from 
some  Englishman  who  kept  a  shop  in  Ancona,  his  native 
town.  The  old  monk,  putting  on  his  spectacles  with  the 
air  of  an  inquisitor,  examined  it  here  and  there,  and  cast- 
ing his  eyes  by  chance  on  the  word  "  Jesuits,"  which  is 
defined  by  Johnson  "  a  body  of  monks  who  presume  to 
usurp  the  name  of  Jesus,'"  he  immediately  pronounced 
it  heretical.  It  was  then  given  over  to  the  superior,  and 
I  thought  he  was  going  to  commit  an  auto  defe  on  it,  i.  e. 
burn  it,  but  this  he  did  not  do ;  for  he  only  placed  it 
under  lock  and  key  in  the  library  among  the  "  libri  pro- 
Ubiti,'''  or  prohibited  books.t    The  storm  passed  over  in 

•  The  greatest  distrust  is  held  of  all  English  books  throughout 
every  part  of  the  Roman  states.  I  once  had  a  bundle  of  "  GaUg- 
nani's  Messenger"  in  my  hand,  which  an  English  friend  had  leiit 
me,  and  meeting  accidentally  with  the  professor,  he  asked  what  it 
■was.  I  told  him,  it  was  a  bundle  of  English  newspapers.  He  chided 
me  for  reading  such  heretical  writings,  observing  that  "  thousands  of 
English  heretics  go  to  hell  every  day,"  (vanno  alia  casa  del  diavola 
ogni  giorno.)  So  much  for  monkish  bigotry,  and  the  effects  of  the 
unchristian  doctrine  of  exclusive  salvation. 

I  In  the  library  of  each  convent  there  is  a  place  set  apart  for  pro- 
hibited books,  or  those  books  which  are  censured  by  the  master  of  the 
"  sacred  palace,"  who  is  always  a  Dominican  friar.  The  best  books  of 
every  European  language  are  prohibited,  and  sentence  of  excommuni- 
cation passed  against  all  who  read  them.  The  titles  and  the  names 
of  the  authors  of  such  books  are  collected  in  one  volume  entitled  "  in- 
dex librorum  prohibitorum,"  printed  at  the  Vatican  press  annually, 
and  given  away  gratis  to  the  different  libraries  of  popish  Europe. 
This  is  also  another  emolument  to  the  papal  see,  for  the  librarians  and 
booksellers  are  commanded  neither  to  lend  nor  sell  prohibited  works, 
unless  to  those  who  have  a  written  license  from  the  pope  to  use  them. 
This  license  is  never  granted  till  paid  for,  and  thus  the  obtaining  of 
it  becomes  a  source  of  gain  to  the  "  infallible  head"  of  the  church.  It 
is  really  astonishing,  vi'hat  a  change  money  is  capable  of  performing ! 
It  may  be  asked,  whether  reading  such  a  book  be  sinful  or  otherwise ; 
if  not  sinful,  why  then  place  a  shackle  on  man's  liberty  by  prohibiting 
it  1  if  sinful,  how  is  it  possible,  that  the  bestowing  a  sum  of  money 
on  a  self-constituted  authority,  can  make  it  not  sinful  1  The  reason 
for  this,  as  well  as  for  most  other  practices  of  the  church  of  Rome, 
must  be  sought  in  the  insatiable  desire  of  amassing  money  by  making 
13* 


138  SIX  TEARS   IN  THE 

this  way,  and  indeed,  with  far  less  trouble  than  I  at  first 
thought  it  possible,  judging  from  the  bigotry  of  the  monks 
and  from  the  great  pleasure  they  are  accustomed  to  feel 
when  an  opportunity  presents  of  enjoying  the  misery  of 
others.  It  had  even  a  favourable  effect,  for,  in  some  de- 
gree, it  dissipated  the  cloud  of  suspicion  that  hung  over 
me,  and  made  me  more  cautious  in  future  of  reposing 
confidence  in  the  seeming  friendship  of  those,  who  only 
sought  an  opportunity  to  betray. 

About  this  period,  I  arrived  at  the  age  required  by  the 
canons  for  receiving  the  order  of  sub-deaconship  ;  having 
already  received  the  four  minor  orders,*  I  was  accord- 
ingly sent  by  the  general  to  Velletri,  a  city  about  twenty- 
six  miles  from  Rome,  for  the  purpose  of  having  that 
order  conferred  upon  me  by  the  bishop  of  that  diocess. 
The  candidate  for  ordination  is  very  strictly  examined  in 
presence  of  the  bishop  on  some  treatise  of  dogmatical 
theology,  selected  for  the  occasion  by  the  examiners. 

the  consciences  of  Christians  a  saleable  commodity.  To  this  custom 
of  prohibiting  books,  Pope  alludes  in  the  following  verses: 

Lo  !  Rome  herself,  proud  mistress  now  no  more 
Of  arts,  but  thund'ring  against  heathen  lore  ; 
Her  grey-haired  synods  damning  books  unread. 
And  Bacon  trembling  for  his  brazen  head. 
Padua,  with  sighs,  beholds  her  Livy  burn, 
And  even  the  antipodes  Virgilius  mourn. 

Dunciad. 

•  It  may  not  be  generally  known,  that  in  ihe  Roman  Catholir 
church  there  are  seven  orders,  four  of  which  are  called  minor  orders ; 
Ostcriatus,  Lectoratus,  Exorcistatus,  and  Acolytatus.  These  four  are 
conferred  at  a  very  early  age,  sometimes  before  the  candidates  arrive 
at  the  age  of  understanding  the  meaning  of  them.  They  are  now  in 
practical  disuse,  being  considered  as  only  preparatory  to  the  re- 
ceiving of  holy  orders ;  though  in  the  ancient  church,  there  is  reason 
to  suppose  the  offices  attached  to  them  were  exercised  by  some  pious 
laymen  of  the  church.  According  to  Romish  theologians,  they  were 
instituted  by  Christ  himself,  and  as  proof  of  their  being  so,  they  dis- 
tort some  passages  of  Scripture.  The  other  three,  subdeaconship, 
deaconship,and  priesthood,  are  called  holy  orders.  The  age  at  which 
they  may  be  received  is  fixed  by  the  Council  of  Trent ;  the  first  at 
twenty-one  years,  the  second  at  twenty-two,  and  the  third  at  twenty- 
five  ;  though  the  pope  has  the  power  of  dispensing  with  eighteen 
months  of  the  latter,  which  he  generally  does,  if  paid  for  it. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  139 

This  takes  place  not  so  much  for  the  sake  of  trying 
whether  he  is  possessed  of  sufficient  information,  (the 
ignorant  being  as  often  promoted  to  orders  as  the  learned,) 
as  in  order  to  be  able  to  judge  of  the  soundness  of  his 
views  relative  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church.  The  treatise  on  which  I  was  examined,  seemed 
as  if  designedly  selected  for  my  person,  for  it  was  that 
very  one  about  the  truth  of  which  I  entertained  the  greatest 
doubts — "  the  tractatus  de  ecdesia,"  or  treatise  concerning 
the  authority  and  power  of  the  church.  The  doctrines 
discussed  in  this  treatise  being  once  established  on  a  sure 
foundation,  all  the  other  unscriptural  doctrines  of  popery 
cannot  be  denied,  without  falling  into  a  contradiction  ;  for 
if  it  be  once  granted  that  the  church  has  the  power  of 
directing  and  fixing  the  things  necessary  to  be  believed 
by  the  faithful,  and  of  bringing  in  and  mixing  up  tradition 
with  the  written  Word,  and  also  of  explaining  that  Word 
itself,  in  favour  of  some  new  doctrine  ;  how,  then,  with 
any  consistency  can  any  one  of  its  tenets  be  denied  ?  If 
it  be  granted  with  the  Italian  church,  that  the  pope,  in 
his  own  person,  is  infallible,  or  with  the  Galilean  church, 
that  a  council  assembled  by  authority  of  the  pope  cannot 
err  ;  how  then  can  it  be  denied  afterward,  that  the  things 
held  out  for  behef,  and  established  by  a  council  or  a  pope, 
though  in  direct  contradiction  to  the  words  and  sense  of 
Divine  revelation,  are  not  sound  doctrines,  and  not  npr-es- 
sary  to  be  believed  by  all  who  adhere  to  the  church  of 
Christ?  If  the  authority  of  popes  and  councils  be  once 
granted  to  have  its  claims  founded  on  scriptural  grounds, 
then  indeed  the  belief  in  purgatory,  invocation  of  saints, 
auricular  confession,  and  in  all  the  other  innovations 
made  in  the  Christian  faith  by  popery,  must  follow,  if  due 
consistency  be  attended  to.  Though  fully  aware  of  the 
consequences  flowing  from  the  questions  proposed  to  me 
by  the  examiners  on  this  subject,  I  yet  had  the  weakness 
to  dissemble  my  real  opinions,  and  answer  with  the  most 
scrupulous  orthodoxy — that  is,  as  orthodoxy  is  understood 
by  the  Romish  church.  To  this  was  I  obliged  through  fear 
of  being  refused  ordination,  if  I  answered  otherwise — a 
certain  result,  followed  also  by  personal  danger — and  also 


140  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

through  fear  of  affording  an  opportunity  to  my  brother 
monks  of  renewing  their  former  obloquy.  I  was,  tnere- 
fore,  approved  of  and  pronounced  by  the  examiners  a  fit 
subject  for  promotion  to  sub-deaconship,  my  papers  be- 
ing first  examined,  especially  the  certificate  of  my  baptism, 
in  order  to  be  sure  of  my  having  reached  the  canonical 
age. 

Not  to  revert  to  this  subject  again,  it  may  be  as  well  to 
mention  here,  that  one  year  after  this,  on  reaching  my 
twenty-second  year,  I  was  ordained  deacon  by  the  same 
bishop,  after  having  passed  through  anotber  examination, 
similar  to  the  one  related  above.  The  treatise  selected 
on  this  last  occasion  was  that  which  every  Italian  priest 
is  obliged  to  almost  swear  to — the  treatise  on  the  infalli- 
bility of  the  head  of  the  church,  as  the  pope  is  called. 
This  is  not  pronounced  exactly  a  matter  of  faith  ;  for 
then  provocation  would  be  given  to  the  Galilean  church 
to  separate  from  the  Italian,  as  the  former  does  not  be- 
lieve in  it ;  but  it  is  declared  a  holy  and  wholesome  doc- 
trine, and  next  to  faith — proxima  fidei.  I  answered  on 
this  occasion,  as  on  the  other,  according  to  the  known 
opinion  and  teaching  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  was  so 
hypocritical  as  to  show  a  holy  anger  against  the  boldness 
of  the  French,  who  dared  call  in  question  a  doctrine 
so  holy  and  scriptural.  The  bishop  praised  me  for  my 
zeal,  and  hoped  that  when  sent  and  established  in  my 
own  country,  I  would  faithfully  preach  and  propagate  the 
doctrines  of  the  Roman  Catholic  church,  and  enufeavour 
to  bring  under  the  obedience  of  the  supreme  pontiff — 
{sotto  Vuhbedienza  del  summo  pontefice,  were  his  words) 
— the  benighted  heretics  of  Ireland,  for  whose  conversion 
he  uttered  a  fervent  prayer — more  fervently,  I  presume, 
than  they  themselves  pray  for  that  conversion.  Poor 
heretics  !  My  answer  to  this  holy  admonition  may  be 
easily  imagined,  and  I  passed  for  a  pious,  orthodox  young 
clergyman,  and  for  one  who  would  be  very  zealous  in 
propagating  the  doctrines  of  the  holy  Roman  Catholic 
church.  So  pleased  was  the  bishop  with  my  answer.?, 
and  so  well  did  I  act  my  part,  that  he  invited  me  to  dine 
with  him  the  next  day — and  gave  me  a  letter  of  introduc- 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  141 

tion  to  Cardinal  Rivarola — who  was  a  particular  friend 
of  his ;  which  I  was  to  deliver  on  my  return  to  Rome. 
It  is  but  just  to  add,  that  Monsignor  Macioti — for  that  was 
the  name  of  the  bishop  of  whom  I  am  speaking — was  a 
really  good  and  pious  man ;  and  seemed  sincere  in  his 
belief  of  the  doctrines  of  the  church  of  Rome,  and  firmly 
convinced  that  a  belief  in  those  doctrines  was  most  essen- 
tial to  the  salvation  of  man.  He  was  bishop  in  partibus 
injidelium,*  and  only  suffragan-bishop  of  Velletri.  The 
diocesan  bishop,  who  Avas  a  cardinal,  always  residing  in 
Rome,  left  him  as  his  suffragan  in  care  of  the  dioeess ; 
and  on  him,  therefore,  devolved  the  whole  management 
of  the  affairs  relating  to  the  church  of  Velletri  and  its 
dependencies.  He  had  very  little  of  that  pride  and  vain 
glory,  which  are  to  be  found  the  principal  ingredients  in 
forming  the  character  of  most  popish  prelates.  He  was 
an  humble,  practical  Christian,  and  if  we  except  his 
bigotry,  which  was  more  the  fault  of  the  religion  he  pro- 
fessed than  of  the  man  himself,  he  could  have  been  held 
up  as  a  shining  example  for  the  imitation  of  the  ministers 
of  Christ.  Had  he  lived  in  another  country,  or  had  he 
been  so  fortunate  as  to  see  the  errors  of  popery,  he  would 
certainly  be  considered  as  one  blessed  with  an  abundant 
share  of  heavenly  grace.  Unlike  most  Italian  prelates, 
he  spent  his  income  on  the  poor  of  his  flock,  and  not  in 

*  Episcopus  in  partibus  infidelium,  or  bishop  in  infidel  countries, 
is  a  title  given  by  the  pope  to  the  numerous  bishops  without  diocesses 
who  surround  his  throne.  Whenever  the  pope  wishes  to  exalt  and 
do  honour  to  a  favourite  ;  or  when  a  priest  of  a  riclj  and  noble  family 
is  fool  enough  to  throw  away  a  large  sum  of  money  for  a  dignity,  he 
is  consecrated  bishop  of  some  place,  taken  at  hazard  from  the  map  of 
the  world,  over  which  the  pope,  as  universal  pastor,  claims  authority. 
Thus,  one  is  made  bishop  of  some  of  the  South  Sea  Islands,  while 
another  obtains  a  dioeess  in  Crim  Tartary.  They  never  see  their  dio- 
cesses, nor  do  they  ever  trouble  their  heads  about  them ;  some  of  them 
often  not  knowing  in  what  part  of  the  world  the  place  from  which 
they  take  their  title  is  situated !  They  bargained  for  the  empty  title, 
and  that  they  have  got — ilfumo  senza  Varrosto — the  smoke  without 
the  roast — as  the  Italian  proverb  has  it.  The  pope  thus  bestowing 
bishopricks  on  his  courtiers  strongly  resembles  the  valorous  knight 
Don  Quixote  bestowing  the  government  of  islands  on  his  squire 
Sancho  Panza. 


142  SIX    YEARS   ITS   THE 

indulging  in  the  pleasures  of  the  table,  and  other  luxuries. 
While  other  bishops  might  be  found  at  the  conversazioni 
and  entertainments  of  the  great,  or  gallanting,  in  the 
character  of  cicesbei,  the  wives  of  their  acquaintances,  his 
post  was  at  the  bedside  of  some  dying  beggar  ;  endeavour- 
ing to  alleviate  his  sufferings,  and  administering  the  con- 
solations which  religion,  however  corrupt  it  may  be, 
always  affords  to  the  last  moments  of  a  departing  sinner. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Jealousies  and  enmities  of  monks  of  different  orders — Reasons  for 
entertaining  such  hostile  feelings  against  each  other — Sample  of 
monkish  lampoons — The  immaculate  conception  of  the  blessed 
Virgin — The  Dominicans  and  Franciscans  declare  war  against  each 
other — Monkish  imposture — Tragic  story  of  Jetzer— The  ghost  of 
a  Dominican  appears  to  him — Jetzer  undergoes  the  discipline,  in 
order  to  redeem -his  brother's  soul  from  purgatory — The  virgin 
prior — Revelations  made  by  the  Virgin  to  Jetzer — He  receives  the 
five  wounds  that  pierced  Jesus  on  the  cross — Jetzer  discovers  the 
imposture — The  Dominicans  attempt  to  poison  him — He  flies  from 
them,  and  seeks  the  protection  of  the  civil  authorities — The  actors 
in  the  infernal  plot  burned  alive — Jetzer's  death — The  use  which 
the  Franciscans  make  of  the  foregoing  narrative — Number  of  re- 
ligious orders — How  distinguished  from  each  other — Division  of 
monks — Number  of  the*  clergy  in  the  capital  of  popery — Number 
of  beggars. 

Though  great  the  enmities  and  jealousies  entertained 
for  each  other  by  monks  living  in  the  same  convent 
und  of  the  same  order,  far  greater  still  are  those  they  bear 
toward  other  monks  of  orders  differing  from  their  own. 
The  greatest  enemies  of  the  same  order,  who  would  be 
glad  to  see  each  other  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea,  forget 
their  private  quarrels,  and  unite  their  strength  in  attacking 
the  common  enemy — another  religious  order.  To  this 
they  are  excited  both  by  the  prejudices  of  their  monkish 
education,  which  leads  them  to  consider  their  own  order 
as  the  one  most  pleasing  to  God,  and  also,  bv  a  fear  of 
losing  their  emoluments,  and  the  means  of  sunjportinf 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  143 

luxury,  if  another  order  should  rank  higher  in  the  opinion 
of  the  world  than  their  own.  Monks  of  different  orders 
can  hardly  observe  the  rules  of  common  politeness,  and 
keep  themselves  within  the  bounds  of  civility  when  they 
meet.  They  eye  each  other  with  looks  of  mortal  defiance, 
and  let  no  opportunity  slip  of  heaping  calumny  on  each 
other,  and  of  turning  into  ridicule  the  manners  and  cus- 
toms of  each  other's  order.  If  the  Franciscan  should 
have  an  image  or  relic  in  his  convent,  which  is  thought 
an  object  of  greater  veneration  by  the  people  than  some 
other  relic  or  image  of  the  Dominican's,  the  latter  never 
loses  an  opportunity  of  crying  down  the  worth  of  the 
former's  property  and  extolling  his  own.  It  is  a  common 
saying,  "  two  of  a  trade  can  never  agree."  This  proverb 
is  verified  by  those  traders  in  imposition.  The  Augus- 
tinian  hates  the  Carmelite,  the  Carmelite  the  Augustinian ; 
the  Augustinian  the  Dominican  and  the  Franciscan ;  one 
branch  of  the  Franciscans  hates  another  branch  of  the 
same  ;  the  Reformed  hating  the  Capuchin,  and  the  Capu- 
chin the  Observant ;  and  in  this  way  they  live,  hating  each 
other,  and  trying  to  debase  each  other's  order,  while  they 
extol  their  own,  and  all  for  the  sake  of  bringing  money 
into  their  own  coffers,  and  of  making  the  people  imagine 
that  there  can  be  no  degree  of  merit  attached  to  any  order, 
but  to  that  of  which  they  themselves  are  members.  When 
this  opinion  once  prevails,  and  gains  ground  in  the  minds 
of  the  people,  then  indeed  those  who  were  so  fortunate 
as  to  establish  and  propagate  it,  may  triumph  over  the 
other  orders,  and  may  be  sure  of  obtaining  that  support 
which  follows  from  the  blind  devotion  of  a  superstitious 
peasantry.  Many  monks  are  so  zealous  in  contending 
for  the  good  of  their  own  order,  that  they  make  no 
scruple  to  compose  satires,  and  even  obscene  hymns, 
against  the  other  orders,  and  distribute  copies  of  them 
privately  among  the  people ;  for  they  imagine  that  the 
more  the  other  orders  are  lessened  in  the  esteem  of  the 
populace,  the  more  will  their  own  grow  in  that  esteem. 
I  have  seen  a  "/jrayer,"  composed  in  Latin  by  a  Domini- 
can friar,  in  order  to  turn  into  ridicule,  and  bring  oppro- 
brium on  the  Capuchins,  who  had  a  convent  in  the  same 


144  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

town,  (Albano,)  and  who  ranked  higher  in  the  opinion  of 
the  public  than  his  own  order.  It  was  handed  about  by 
the  Dominicans,  and  at  last  reached  the  hands  of  a  secular 
priest,  who  had  a  friendship  for  the  Capuchins,  and  by 
him  it  was  shown  to  their  superior,  who  complained 
against  the  author  to  the  court  of  Rome.  As  far  as  I  can 
now  recollect,  for  I  have  not  by  me  a  copy  of  it,  it  ran 
thus  : — "  Deus,  qui  malignos  Capucinos  in  hoc  mundo 
scaturire  fecisti  ad  deslructionem  mulierum,  olei,  vini,' 
panis,  caeterorumque  tuorum  comestibilium,  extende  super 
eos,  te  quesumus,  manum  tuae  potentiae,  da  illis  morbum 
Gallicum,  et  deduc  eos  in  profundum  lacum,  ubi  remaneant 
per  omnia  ssecula  seeculorum.  Amen."  (O  G — d,  who 
hast  made  the  malignant  Capuchins  spring  up  in  this 
world,  for  the  destruction  of  women,  bread,  oil,  wine, 
and  of  thy  other  eatables ;  extend  over  them,  we  beseech 
thee,  the  hand  of  thy  power,  give  them  the  *  *  *  disease, 
and  sink  them  into  the  deep  lake,  where  may  they  remain 
for  ever  and  ever.  Amen.)  I  have  deemed  it  necessary 
to  give  this  blasphemous  prayer — highly  blasphemous 
indeed — in  order  that  the  reader  may  be  able  to  form 
a  judgment  of  the  wicked  devices  which  monks  have  re- 
course to,  when  the  desire  of  aggrandizing  their  own 
order,  and  of  bringing  it  into  repute,  impels  them  to  ridi- 
cule, and  thereby  debase,  (though  often  at  the  expense  of 
truth,  and  of  doing  injury  to  their  fellow  creatures,)  the 
orders  of  other  monks.  It  also  may  show  the  little  venera- 
tion in  which  God  is  held  by  them,  when  they  dare  take 
in  vain  his  name,  and  apply  it  in  so  unseemly  a  manner. 
It  is  true,  that  the  Capuchins,  and  indeed  all, monks,  give 
sufficient  provocation  to  wish  them  badly ;  and  to  en- 
deavour, for  the  sake  of  society,  to  expose  their  evil 
doings  ;  but  yet  this  need  not  be  done  in  the  blasphemous 
manner  which  we  see  here  practised ;  and  practised  too 
by  those  who  are  as  deep  in  iniquity  as  the  very  persons 
whom  they  censure. 

The  well-known  dispute  between  the  Dominicans  and 
Franciscans  relating  to  the  immaculate  conception  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  was  carried  on  by  these  two  orders  for 
many  years  with  an  equal  degree  of  vehemence  on  both 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC  145 

sides.  The  question,  uninteresting  as  it  may  appear, 
and  as  it  really  is,  whether  the  Virgin  Mary  was  born 
without  the  blemish  of  original  sin,  or  not,  employed 
the  pens  and  talents  of  the  greatest  men  of  these  orders 
for  many  years,  and  bid  fair  to  disturb  the  peace,  not 
only  of  the'  members  of  each  order,  but  also  of  the  whole 
Roman  Catholic  church.  No  arguments  were  left  un- 
tried, no  schemes  were  left  unpractised,  by  the  contend- 
ing parties,  to  prove  one  another  guilty  of  heresy,  and 
thereby  to  bring  on  the  conquered  side  the  opprobrium 
attached  to  the  name  of  heretics.  It  is  not  to  be  sup- 
posed that  they  cared  a  fig  whether  the  Virgin  was,  or 
was  not,  immaculately  born  ;  but  the  question  was  start- 
ed, a  different  side  was  taken  by  each,  and  the  honour 
of  their  respective  orders,  and  the  maintenance  of  its 
respect  with  the  people,  required  that  each  party  should 
defend,  with  all  its  might,  the  side  of  the  question  it  had 
adopted.  The  tragic  story  of  Jetzer,  conducted  at  Bern, 
in  1509,  for  determining  this  uninteresting  dispute,  is 
well  known  to  the  world.  I  shall,  however,  take  the 
liberty  of  relating  it  here,  in  order  to  give  the  reader, 
who  may  not  have  heard  it  before,  a  view  of  the  impious 
frauds  which  have  been  carried  on  in  the  church  of  Rome, 
and  of  the  little  regard  which  monks  pay  to  the  means 
so  that  they  obtain  their  end. 

The  Franciscans  maintained  that  the  Virgin  Mary  was 
born  without  the  blemish  of  original  sin  ;  the  Dominicans 
asserted  the  contrary.  The  doctrine  of  the  Franciscans, 
in  an  age  of  darkness  and  superstition,  could  not  but  be 
popular,  and  hence  the  Dominicans  lost  ground  from  day 
to  day.  To  support  the  credit  of  their  order,  they  re- 
solved, at  a  chapter  held  at  Vimpson,  in  the  year  1504, 
to  have  recourse  to  fictitious  visions  and  dreams,  in  which 
the  people  at  that  time  had  an  easy  faith,  and  they  de- 
termined to  make  Bern  the  scene  of  their  operations.  A 
lay-monk  named  Jetzer,  who  was  extremely  simple,  and 
much  inclined  to  austerities,  and  who  belonged  to  their 
order,  was  chosen  as  the  instrument  of  the  delusions  they 
were  contriving.  One  of  the  four  Dominicans,  who  had 
undertaken  the  management  of  this  plot,  conveyed  him- 
14 


146  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

self  secretly  into  Jetzer's  cell,  and  about  midnight  ap- 
peared to  him  in  a  horrid  figure,  surrounded  with  howl- 
ing dogs,  and  seemed  to  blow  fire  from  his  nostrils, 
by  the  means  of  a  box  of  combustibles  which  he  held 
near  his  mouth.  In  this  frightful  form  he  approached 
Jetzer's  bed,  told  him  that  he  was  the  ghost  of  a  Domi- 
nican who  had  been  killed  at  Paris,  as  a  judgment  of 
Heaven,  for  laying  aside  his  monastic  habit ;  that  he  was 
condemned  to  purgatory  for  this  crime  ;  adding,  at  the 
same  time,  that  by  his  means  he  might  be  rescued  from 
his  misery,  which  was  beyond  expression.  This  story, 
accompanied  by  horrible  cries  and  bowlings,  frightened 
poor  Jetzer  out  of  the  little  wits  he  had,  and  engaged 
him  to  promise  to  do  what  was  in  his  power  to  deliver 
the  Dominican  from  his  torments.  Upon  this,  the  im- 
postor told  him,  that  nothing  but  the  most  extraordinary 
mortifications,  such  as  the  discipline  of  the  vjhip,  per- 
formed during  eight  days  by  the  whole  monastery,  and 
Jetzer's  lying  prostrate,  in  the  form  of  one  crucified, 
in  the  chapel  during  mass,  could  contribute  to  his  de- 
liverance. He  added,  that  the '  performance  of  these 
mortifications  would  draw  down  upon  Jetzer  the  pecu- 
liar protection  of  the  blessed  Virgin,  and  concluded  by 
saying  that  he  would  appear  to  him  again,  accompanied 
by  two  other  spirits.  Morning  no  sooner  came  than 
Jetzer  gave  an  account  of  this  apparition  to  the  rest 
of  the  convent,  who  all  unanimously  advised  him  to 
undergo  the  discipline  that  was  enjoined  him,  and 
every  one  consented  to  bear  his  share  of  the  task  im- 
posed-—that  of  flogging  the  poor  wretch.  The  deluded 
simpleton  obeyed ;  and  was  admired  as  a  saint  by  the 
multitudes  that  crowded  about  the  convent;  while  the 
four  friars  that  conducted  the  imposture  magnified,  in  a 
most  pompous  manner,  the  miracle  of  this  apparition,  in 
their  sermons  and  in  their  discourses.  The  night  after, 
the  apparition  was  renewed  with  the  addition  of  two 
impostors,  dressed  like  devils ;  and  Jetzer's  faith  was 
augmented  by  hearing  from  the  spectre  all  the  secrets  of 
his  life  and  thoughts,  which  the  impostors  had  learned 
from  his  confessor.    In  this  and  some  subsequent  scenes. 


MONASTERIES    OF   ITALY,   ETC.  147 

equal  in  enormity  to  those  already  related,  the  impostor 
talked  much  to  Jetzer  of  the  Dominican  order,  which  he 
said  was  peculiarly  dear  to  the  blessed  Virgin  ;  he  added, 
that  the  Virgin  knew  herself  to  be  conceived  in  original 
sin ;  that  the  doctors  who  taught  the  contrary  \v%re  in  pur- 
gatory ;  that  the  blessed  Virgin  abhorred  the  Franciscans 
for  making  her  equal  with  her  son ;  and  that  the  town 
of  Bern  would  be  destroyed  for  harbouring  such  plagues 
within  her  walls.  In  one  of  these  apparitions,  Jetzer 
imagined  that  the  voice  of  the  spectre  resembled  that  of 
the  prior  of  the  convent,  and  he  was  not  mistaken ;  but 
not  suspecting  a  fraud,  he  gave  little  attention  to  this. 
The  prior  appeared  in  various  forms,  sometimes  in  that 
of  St.  Barbara  ;  at  others  in  that  of  St.  Bernard :  at 
length  he  assumed  that  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and,  for  that 
purpose,  clothed  himself  in  the  habits  that  were  employed 
to  adorn  the  statue  of  the  Virgin  on  the  great  festivals.  The 
little  images  that  on  those  days  are  set  on  the  altars  were 
made  use  of  for  angels,  which,  being  tied  to  a  cord  that 
passed  through  a  pully  over  Jelzer's  head,  rose  up  and 
down,  and  danced  around  the  pretended  Virgin,  to  in- 
crease the  delusion.  The  Virgin,  thus  equipped,  ad- 
dressed a  long  discourse  to  Jetzer,  in  which,  among  other 
things,  she  told  him  that  she  was  conceived  in  original 
sin,  though  she  had  remained  but  a  short  time  under  that 
blemish.  She  gave  him,  as  a  miraculous  proof  of  her 
presence,  a  host,  or  consecrated  wafer,  which  turned  from 
white  to  red  in  a  moment ;  and  after  various  visits,  in 
which  the  greatest  enormities  were  transacted,  the  Virgin 
prior  told  Jetzer  that  she  would  give  him  the  most  affect- 
ing and  undoubted  marks  of  her  son's  love,  by  imprint- 
ing on  him  the  Jive  wounds  that  pierced  Jesus'  on  the 
cross,  as  she  had  done  before  to  St.  Lucia  and  St.  Catha- 
rine. Accordingly,  she  took  his  hand  by  force,  and 
struck  a  large  nail  through  it,  which  threw  the  poor  dupe 
into  the  greatest  torment.  The  next  night,  this  mascu- 
line virgin  brought,  as  she  pretended,  some  of  the  linen 
in  which  Christ  had  been  buried,  to  soften  the  wound ; 
and  gave  Jetzer  a  soporific  draught,  which  had  in  it  the 
blood  of  an  unbaptized  child,  some  grains  of  incense  and 


148  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

of  consecrated  salt,  some  quicksilver,  the  hair  of  the 
eyebrows  of  a  child — all  which,  with  some  stupifying 
and  poisonous  ingredients,  were  mingled  together  by  the 
prior  with  magic  ceremonies,  and  a  solemn  dedication  of 
himself  teethe  devil  in  hope  of  his  succour.  The  draught 
threw  the  poor  wretch  into  a  sort  of  lethargy,  during 
which  the  monks  imprinted  on  his  body  the  other  four 
wounds  of  Christ  in  a  manner  that  he  felt  no  pain. 
When  he  awakened,  he  found,  to  his  unspeakable  joy, 
those  impressions  on  h'fs  body,  and  came  at  last  to  fancy 
himself  a  representative  of  Christ  in  the  various  parts 
of  his  passion.  He  was,  in  this  state,  exposed  to  the 
admiring  multitude  on  the  principal  altar  of  the  convent, 
to  the  great  mortification  of  the  Franciscans.  The 
Dominicans  gave  him  some  other  draughts  that  threw 
him  into  convulsions.  By  means  of  a  pipe  placed  in  the 
mouths  of  two  images,  one  of  Mary  and  another  of  the 
child  Jesus,  the  former  of  which  had  tears  painted  upon 
its  cheeks  in  a  lively  manner,  they  contrived  to  make  the 
two  images  speak.  The  little  Jesus  asked  its  mother,  by 
means  of  this  voice,  (which  was  that  of  the  prior,)  why 
she  wept  ?  and  she  answered,  that  her  tears  were  owing 
to  the  impious  manner  in  which  the  Franciscans  attri- 
buted to  her  the  honour  that  was  due  to  him,  in  saying 
that  she  was  conceived  and  born  without  sin. 

The  apparitions,  false  prodigies,  and  abominable  stra- 
tagems of  these  Dominicans  were  repeated  every  night ; 
and  the  matter  was  at  length  so  grossly  overacted,  that, 
simple  as  Jetzer  was,  he  at  last  discovered  it,  and  had 
almost  killed  the  prior,  who  appeared  to  him  one  night  in 
the  form  of  the  Virgin  with  a  crown  on  her  head.  The 
Dominicans,  fearing,  by  this  discovery,  to  lose  the  fruits 
of  their  imposture,  thought  the  best  method  would  be  to 
own  the  whole,  matter  to  Jetzer,  and  to  engage  him,  by 
the  most  seducing  promises  of  opulence  and  glory,  to 
carry  on  the  cheat.  Jetzer  Avas  persuaded,  or  at  least 
appeared  to  be  so.  But  the  Dominicans,  suspecting  that 
he  was  not  entirely  gained  over,  resolved  to  poison  him  ; 
but  his  constitution  was  so  vigorous,  that  though  they 
gave  him  poison  five  several  times,  he  was  not  destroyed 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC  149 

by  it.  One  day  they  sent  him  a  loaf  prepared  with  some 
spices,  which  growing  green  in  a  day  or  two,  he  threw 
a  piece  of  it  to  some  dogs  that  were  in  the  monastery,  and 
it  killed  them  immediately.  At  another  time,  they  poi- 
soned the  host,  or  consecrated  wafer  ;  but  as  he  vomited 
it  up  soon  after  he  had  swallowed  it,  he  escaped  once 
more.  In  short,  there  were  no  means  of  securing  him 
which  the  most  detestable  impiety  and  barbarity  could 
invent,  which  they  did  not  put  in  practice  ;  till  finding,  at 
last,  an  opportunity  of  getting  out  of  the  convent,  he 
threw  himself  into  the  hands  of  the  magistrates,  to  whom 
he  made  a  full  discovery  of  this  infernal  plot.  The  affair 
being  brought  to  Rome,  commissaries  were  sent  from 
thence  to  examine  the  matter  ;  and  the  whole  cheat  being 
fully  proved,  the  four  friars  were  solemnly  degraded  from 
their  priesthood,  and  were  burnt  alive  on  the  last  day  of 
May,  1509.  Jetzer  died  some  time  after,  at  Constance, 
having  poisoned  himself,  as  was  believed  by  some.  Had 
his  life  been  taken  away  before  he  had  an  opportunity  of 
making  the  discovery  already  mentioned,  this  execrable 
and  horrid  plot,  which,  in  many  of  its  circumstances,  was 
conducted  with  art,  would  have  been  handed  down  to 
posterity  as  a  stupendous  miracle.  It  is  now  related  by 
the  Franciscans  to  their  novices  and  students,  in  order  to 
excite  their  hatred  against  the  Dominicans,  and  to  be 
used  as  an  argument  in  favour  of  the  immaculate  concep- 
tion, which  they  so  zealously  defend.  They  say,  "  that 
such  a  well-laid  plot  could  never  be  discovered,  were  it 
not  for  the  intervention  of  the  Virgin,  whose  prerogative 
it  attempted  to  impugn,  and  thereby  lessen  the  praise  and 
adoration  due  to  her  from  the  faithful ;  that  she  permitted 
It  to  proceed  so  far  prosperously,  in  order  to  take  a 
signal  and  public  vengeance  on  the  machinators,  and  that 
through  her  protection  Jetzer  was  preserved  from  the 
powerful  poisonous  draughts,  which  were  so  often  admi- 
nistered to  him  by  his  impious  brethren."* 

•  It  ought  to  be  understood,  that  I  have  followed,  with  very  few 
variations,  the  narrative  given  by  Buck,  in  his  "  Theological  Diction- 
ary," of  the  above  event.     It  so  exactly  accords  with  the  account 
given  by  the  Franciscans,  and  with  what  I  have  read  in  other  books, 
14* 


150  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

The  great  number  of  religious  orders  that  infest  socie- 
ty, and  the  immense  number  of  individuals  attached  to 
each  order,  surpass  almost  all  belief.  These  orders  are 
distinguished  from  each  other  by  the  colour  and  form  of 
their  respective  habits.  Some  monks  wear  a  white  habit ; 
others,  a  black  one  ;  this  order  is  clad  in  a  brown  livery, 
while  that  other,  in  a  gray  or  parti-coloured  one.  Some 
have  shoes  and  stockings,  while  others  place  merit  in 
going  about  in  sandals,  and  without  stockings.  I  am  not 
aware  that  any  order  as  yet  has  placed  merit  in  wearing 
boots ;  but  the  time  may  come  when  the  pope  will 
put  his  seal  of  holiness  on  boots  also  !  Some  orders 
allow  their  beards  to  grow,  and  shave  their  heads  in  imi- 
tation of  the  ancient  Magi,  whom  they  much  resemble 
in  their  impositions ;  while  others,  on  the  contrary,  shave 
their  beards,  and  let  the  hair  of  their  head  grow. 
Monks  are  also  divided  into  three  different  classes.  The 
first  class  is  that  of  solitaries,  who  live  alone,  and  are  to 
be  found  only  among  the  Calogeri,  or  Greek  monks, 
especially  those  inhabiting  Mount  Athos,  in  Thessaly, 
called  in  modern  Greek,  "  opos  ayioi,''^  or  the  happy  moun- 
tain. The  Latin  church  says,  that  the  Trappists,  Bene- 
dictines, Camaldolensains,  &.c.,  are  of  the  class  of  soli- 
taries ;  but  if  they  are,  they  must  be  so,  as  "  lucus  a  non 
lucendo,"  for  they  are  to  be  found  in  the  most  populous 
cities  of  Europe,  and  very  frequently  in  the  coffee-houses, 
and  other  public  places,  disputing  upon  politics,  or  play- 
ing cards.  This  does  not  look  very  much  like  the  life 
of  a  solitary  !  The  second  class  is  called  that  of  cosno' 
bites,  or  those  living  in  community,  as  Franciscans, 
Capuchins,  Dominicans,  Carmelites,  &c.  These  are  the 
bulwarks  of  the  Romish  church,  and  on  them  the  pope 
chiefly  depends  for  upholding  his  assumed  authority. 
The  third  class  is  that  of  scarabites,  who  have  no  Hxed 
residence,  but,  after  the  manner  of  Mahometan  Santoni, 
whom  they  much  resemble,  wander  through  the  world, 
leading  a  gypsical  life,  and  depending  upon  their  success 

that  I  deemed  it  needless  to  make  many'variations,  which,  indeed,  if 
made,  would  consist  more  in  the  manner  of  relating  it  than  in  the 
fact  itself. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  151 

in  imposing  on  the  people,  for  support.  To  this  class 
St.  Francis  belonged,  as  has  been  already  related,  before 
he  acquired  tact  enough  to  impose  effectually  on  the  peo- 
ple, and  afterward  on  the  pope  himself,  Ijy  which  he 
succeeded  in  establishing  the  order  which  goes  under 
his  name. 

At  Rome  especially,  are  to  be  found  monks  of  all  classes 
and  descriptions,  and  in  such  numbers,  that  the  stranger 
will  be  struck  with  astonishment,  and  wonder  where,  or 
how,  so  great  an  army  of  idle,  sanctified,  dronish  vaga- 
bonds can  find  support.  An  English  gentleman,  residing 
in  that  city,  wishing  to  make  a  probable  guess  at  the 
number  of  clergy  with  which  it  is  pestered,  placed  him- 
self in  a  window  looking  out  upon  the  Corso — the  prin- 
cipal street — and  counted  the  surprising  number  of  one 
hundred  passing  by,  and  strolling  about  for  their  diversion, 
in  the  space  of  fifteen  minutes.  If  to  these  be  added  the 
nuns,  who  would  also  be  strolling  about  in  the  street  at 
that  time,  if  they  had  their  own  will,  that  is,  if  they  were 
not  inhumanly  buried  alive,  and  shut  up  within  four 
walls,  we  may  form  a  tolerably  just  idea  of  the  whole 
number.  Would  it  be  too  much  to  say  that  they  amount 
in  all  to  six  thousand  ?  I  think  not,  and  even  hazard  to 
say  that  they  rather  exceed  than  fall  short  of  that  num- 
ber !  Six  thousand  drones  depending  for  support  on  a 
population  of  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand,  for  the 
fixed  inhabitants  of  Rome  do  not,  absolutely,  exceed  that 
number  !  In  winter,  certainly,  the  population  is  greater  ; 
but  then,  the  increase  is  occasioned  by  the  foreigners, 
who  arrive  from  other  parts  of  Europe,  and  who  scarcely 
ever  remain  longer  than  three  months.  If  to  the  six 
thousand  monks,  nuns,  and  secular  priests,  we  add  five 
thousand  more  for  beggars,  we  will  then  find,  that  in  the 
capital  of  popery  there  are  eleven  thousand  useless  inha- 
bitants !  Eleven  thousand  mouths  stopped  by  the  sweat 
of  the  industrious  part  of  the  community  !  eleven  thou- 
sand persons  whose  only  office  is  imposition,  robbing,  and 
begging,  and  who  fully  come  up  to  Horace's  description 
of  useless;  creatures,  "  nati  consumere  fruges,"  "  born 
to  waste  the  fruits  of  the  earth" — to  eat  every  thing  up. 


152  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Hope  of  salvation  placed  in  being  buried  in  a  Franciscan  habit- 
Story  of  a  soul  saved  from  eternal  damnation  through  the  merits 
of  Saint  Francis — Emoluments  derived  by  the  monks  from  the 
popular  superstitions — Story  of  an  heir  who  was  struck  dead  for 
defrauding  the  Franciscans  of  their  due  —  Ways  practised  by 
monks  for  promoting  their  own  interests — Their  tampering  with 
the  females  of  those  families  over  which  they  have  acquired  influ- 
ence— Story  in  illustration  of  the .  foregoing — Allurements  held 
out  to  females  to  enter  nunneries — Monkish  treachery  illustrated 
— A  young  gentleman's  own  account  of  the  snares  laid  by  monks 
for  himself,  and  his  sisters — One  of  his  sisters  dies  of  a  broken 
heart  on  discovering  her  mistake — Happy  termination  of  the 
young  man's  misfortunes. 

No  small  degree  of  merit  is  also  attached  by  the  be- 
nighted followers  of  popery  to  dying  and  being  buried  in 
a  religious  habit.  This  proceeds  from  the  sermons  of 
the  monks,  and  from  their  gossiping  among  the  pea- 
santry and  others.  Instead  of  directing  sinners  to  salva- 
tion through  Christ,  and  exhorting  them  to  have  a  firm 
reliance  upon  the  vicarious  atonement  made  by  Him  ; 
their  i\ivourite  theme  is,  "  the  interest  which  their  sanc- 
tified founder  has  in  heaven,  and  the  respect  paid  by  the 
d — 1  to  a  body  dressed  up  in  the  habit  of  the  order  found- 
ed by  him — (St.  Francis) — though,  perhaps,  the  former 
might  justly  claim  the  honour  of  having  suggested  it. 
This  respect  for  their  habit  is  the  source  of  great  emolu- 
ment to  them,  as  many  who  led  a  life  of  debauchery  and 
wickedness,  and  many  too  who  led  a  comparatively  vir- 
tuous life,  leave  by  their  will  a  sum  of  money  to  that 
body  of  monks,  on  whose  masses  and  prayers  they  rest 
their  hopes  of  salvation.  The  Franciscan  habit  is  held 
in  greater  esteem,  and  consequently  is  thought  to  have 
more  power  of  defending  the  soul  from  the  claws  of  his 
infernal  majesty,  than  any  other.  It  is,  therefore,  sought 
after  with  great  eagerness,  and  that  man  is  thought  sure 
of  salvation,  who  is  so  fortunate  as  to  leave  this  world 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  153 

covered  up  in  its  sacred  folds.  Many  stories  are  invented 
by  the  monks,  many  fables  are  brought  forward  as  exam- 
ples, by  which  to  prove  how  acceptable  and  pleasing  to 
the  Supreme  Being  is  this  soul-destroying  superstition. 
From  an  immense  number,  one  if  possible  more  absurd 
than  the  other,  I  will  select  a  few  for  the  satisfaction  of 
the  reader. 

An  Italian  count,  who,  while  in  health,  was  the  most 
wicked  and  depraved  of  all  his  associates,  being  at  the 
point  of  death,  entreated  his  confessor,  a  Franciscan 
monk,  to  have  his  body  wrapped  up  after  his  decease  in 
the  blessed  habit  of  St.  Francis,  and  in  that  dress  to  be 
committed  to  the  grave.  The  confessor,  after  administer- 
ing the  consolations  of  religion,  and  after  explaining  to 
him  the  great  benefit  which  would  accrue  to  his  soul  from 
the  protection  of  St.  Francis,  always  partial  to  those  clad 
in  his  holy  habit,  promised  to  use  his  influence  with  the 
prior  of  his  convent,  to  obtain  the  power  of  complying 
Avith  his  request.  This  power  was  speedily  granted ; 
chiefly,  it  may  be  suspected,  because  the  dying  man  had 
left  money  for  the  celebration  of  masses — as  auxiliaries 
in  saving  his  soul — for  indeed  monks  are  not  so  exces- 
sively charitable  to  the  souls  of  others,  as  to  be  at  any 
loss,  even  that  of  a  filthy,  worn  old  habit,  (for  the  longer 
it  is  worn  by  some  holy  monk,  the  greater  efficacy  is 
attached  to  it,)  without  being  paid  for  their  trouble  and 
loss  in  some  way.  Having  obtained  from  his  superior 
the  desired  permission,  he  returned  to  the  sick  man,  and 
filled  his  soul  with  joy  and  gladness,  while  relating  the 
favourable  result  of  his  mission.  The  poor  sinner, 
placing  all  his  trust  and  hopes  of  salvation  on  the 
holy  habit,  peaceably  expired  soon  after.  Some  days 
after  his  decease,  he  appeared  to  his  confessor,  while 
engaged  in  prayer  at  midnight  in  the  church,  and  re- 
vealed to  him,  that  "  he  was  on  the  point  of  being 
condemned  to  the  flames  of  hell  for  all  eternity,  and 
that  the  demon-executioners  were  in  the  act  of  seizing 
upon  his  miserable  soul,  in  order  to  drag  it  to  the 
place  of  punishment,  when  the  blessed  patriarch  St. 
Francis  made  his  appearance,  and  observing  what  was 


154  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

going  on,  prostrated  himself  at  the  throne  of  justice,  and 
begged,  that  through  his  merits,  and  intercession,  the 
soul,  whose  body  was  clad  in  his  holy  habit,  and  who 
had,  while  united  to  it,  befriended  his  beloved  disciples 
in  the  other  world,  may  not  suffer  for  all  eternity. 
The  Supreme  Judge,  looking  with  compassion  on  the 
tears  of  his  faithful  servant,  and  unable  to  resist  his  en- 
treaties, commuted  the  sentence  to  a  million  of  years  in 
purgatory  ;  with  the  clause  of  being  sooner  liberated,  if 
a  sufficient  number  of  masses  be  celebrated  for  the  repose 
of  his  soul.  The  holy  St.  Francis,  having  thus  suc- 
ceeded in  his  business  of  mediator,  immediately  drove 
away  the  d — Is,  now  become  enraged  on  account  of 
losing  their  prey,  and  conducted  the  half-redeemed  soul 
to  purgatory,  where  he  took  leave  of  it,  after  having  first 
obtained  permission  from  the  angel-keeper,  to  allow  it  to 
ascend  once  more  into  the  world  above,  and  relate  the 
whole  affair  to  his  confessor,  and  request  of  him  to  speak 
to  his  son  and  heir,  and  urge  him  to  give  apart  of  his  for- 
tune to  be  laid  out  on  more  masses  for  the  repose  of  his 
father's  soul."  Having  made  this  relation,  the  holy  soul 
redeemed  from  everlasting  torments  by  the  habit  of  St. 
Francis,  disappeared  and  returned  to  its  place  of  tempo- 
rary punishment. 

Will  it  be  thought  possible,  that  such  a  story  as  this, 
such  a  barefaced,  impious  falsehood — could  be  intro- 
duced into  a  sermon  by  any  Christian  minister?  To 
those  unacquainted  with  the  extent  of  monkish  impos- 
tures, it  will  indeed,  appear,  if  not  impossible,  at  least 
improbable ;  yet  I  have  both  read  it  in  some  legend  of 
saints,  and  heard  it  afterward  related  in  the  Capuchin 
church  of  Frascati,  in  presence  of  an  assembled  multi- 
tude. The  life  of  St.  Francis  formed  the  subject  of  the 
sermon,  and  the  foregoing  story  was  brought  forward  in 
proof  of  that  saint's  power  in  the  court  of  the  Almighty. 

It  is  evidently  invented  for  the  purpose  of  increasing 
and  strengthening  the  popular  belief  in  the  sanctity  of  the 
Franciscan  habit ;  and  of  showing  forth  the  great  help 
for  obtaininsr  salvation  and  appeasing  the  Divine  wrath 
which  that  habit  affords  to  those,  who  depart  this  life 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC  155 

clad  in  its  sacred  folds.  The  apparition  being  made  to 
declare  the  good  effects  to  the  souls  in  purgatory,  pro- 
ceeding from  offering  masses  in  their  behalf,  and  his 
own  expectations  from  the  piety  of  his  son,  is  but  a 
Jesuitical  way  of  picking  the  pockets  of  the  hearers,  and 
of  exciting  them  to  spend  more  money  on  the  celebration 
of  masses,  for  the  repose  of  the  souls  of  their  departed 
friends.  It  may  also  be  a  plan  (if,  indeed,  the  story  has 
any  foundation  whatever  in  truth)  for  extorting  more 
money  from  the  count's  son,  by  thus  laying  open  to  him 
the  miserable  state  of  his  father,  and  the  means  of  short- 
ening the  time  of  his  punishment  in  purgatory. 

There  is  another  story  related  by  the  monks,  vieing 
■with  the  former  in  absurdity,  though  probably  invented 
for  the  purpose  of  deterring  the  heirs  of  those  that  be- 
queath legacies  to  the  order,  from  withholding  what  the 
testator  thought  proper  to  bestow, 

A  nobleman  of  the  republic  of  Genoa,  long  before  it 
fell  under  the  tyrannical  power  of  his  Sardinian  majesty, 
was  most  devoutly  attached  to  the  Franciscan  order,  and 
bestowed  upon  it  many  substantial  marks  of  his  favour 
during  life.  At  his  death  he  bequeathed  a  large  sum  of 
money,  to  be  used  in  paying  for  masses  to  be  celebrated 
for  the  repose  of  his  soul,  by  the  monks  of  his  favourite 
Older.  His  son,  a  dissolute  young  man,  refused  to  com- 
ply with  the  last  wishes  of  his  defunct  father,  and  converted 
to  other  uses  the  money  designed  for  the  celebration  of  the 
masses.  After  some  time,  the  father  appeared  to  his  un- 
worthy son,  enveloped  in  flames  of  fire,  and,  with  an  angry 
countenance,  threatened  him  with  instant  death,  unless  he 
immediately  delivered  up  to  the  monks  the  money  which 
he  had  bequeathed  for  their  use,  telling  him,  at  the  same 
time,  that  "  he  was  tormented  by  the  most  excruciating 
pains  of  hell,  on  accq^nt  of  his  avarice  and  disobedience; 
for  if  he,  his  heir,  had  complied  in  fulfilling  his  last  will, 
and  if  he  had  given  up  to  the  possession  of  those  for 
whom  it  was  intended  that  part  of  his  fortune  he  had 
willed  to  them,  the  suffrages  and  prayers  of  the  monks 
would  be  of  the  greatest  avail  in  redeeming  his  soul  from 
the  tormenting  state  in  which  it  was  now  placed."     He 


156  SIX   YEARS    IN    THE 

further  added,  "  that  the  habit  of  St.  Francis,  in  which  he 
was  buried,  was  of  no  avail  whatever,  because  his  son 
had  not  given  to  the  holy  fraternity  to  which  it  belonged, 
what  was  lawfully  their  due ;  and  that  St.  Francis,  far  from 
looking  upon  him  with  a  favourable  and  protecting  eye, 
only  regarded  him  with  anger,  and  had  his  body  stripped 
of  the  holy  habit  immediately  after  it  was  consigned  to 
the  tomb."  The  spectre-father  then  disappeared,  and  left 
his  son  in  the  deepest  consternation,  and  fully  resolved 
to  make  amends  for  his  evil  and  unjust  conduct.  But 
this  resolution  was  but  momentary,  and  again  he  engaged 
in  evil  courses  with  his  wicked  companions,  to  whom  he 
related  the  occurrence,  and  who  laughed  him  out  of  his 
fright,  while  squandering  the  property  to  which  he  be- 
came heir.  One  night,  after  returning  from  a  carousal, 
in  which  he  spent  the  greater  part  of  the  day  with  his 
vicious  companions,  he  retired  to  his  chamber  in  a  state 
of  intoxication.  The  following  morning,  on  his  servant's 
entering  his  room  to  assist  him,  as  he  was  wont  to  do,  in 
dressing,  he  found  him  stretched  at  lull  length  on  the 
floor,  a  lifeless  corpse.  It  was  supposed  that  his  father 
appeared  to  him  again,  and  angry  at  his  continuing  to 
withhold  the  money  from  the  Franciscans,  and  thereby 
depriving  him  of  the  benefit  of  their  prayers  and  masses 
— the  only  means  of  relieving  him  from  torment — he  had 
struck  him  dead,  in  order  to  make  him  serve  as  a  futtire 
example  to  undutiful  heirs,  and  of  the  sure  punishment 
awaiting  such,  even  in  this  world.  This  supposition 
was  confirmed  afterward,  when,  on  opening  the  father's 
grave  for  the  purpose  of  depositing  at  his  side  the  body 
of  the  son,  the  former's  corpse  was  found  stark-naked. 
This  being  seen  by  one  of  the  son's  companions,  who 
attended  the  funeral,  it  immediately  brought  to  his  recol- 
lection the  story  related  to  him  by  the  son,  some  time 
before  his  death,  and  more  especialfy  that  part  of  it  con- 
nected with  the  father's  declaring  that  "  his  body  was 
despoiled  of  the  habit  in  which  he  was  buried,  by  order 
of  St.  Francis."  He  confessed  the  whole  affair  publicly, 
and  in  presence  of  all  those  attending  the  funeral,  and, 
becoming  convinced  of  the  dangerous  state  in  which  he 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  157 

was  placed  by  his  evil  course  of  life,  he  retired  from  the 
world  altogether,  and  dedicated  himself  to  God  under  the 
banner  of  St.  Francis.  The  young  man  dying  without 
issue,  the  property  was  applied  for  the  redemption  of  the 
souls  of  its  former  owners  from  the  torments  which  they 
were,  most  probably,  suffering ;  the  part  bequeathed  by 
the  father's  will  being  first  given  up  to  the  Franciscans, 
according  to  the  primary  intention  of  the  testator,  and  the 
rest  divided  among  the  other  regular  and  secular  clergy  of 
the  city,  as  a  compensation  for  their  prayers  and  masses. 
Nor  did  the  miracle  stop  here.  The  Lord  wished  pub- 
licly to  show  to  his  faithful  people  how  much  he  was 
pleased  with  the  forementioned  distribution  of  the  pro- 
perty. A  holy  hermit  was  directed  to  go  the  Bishop  of 
Genoa,  and  signify  that  it  was  the  Lord's  wish  that  the 
graves  of  the  father  and  son  should  be  again  opened. 
The  bishop  obeyed  the  Lord's  message,  and,  accompanied 
by  the  clergy  and  laity  of  the  city  in  procession,  pro- 
ceeded to  open  the  graves.  The  body  of  the  father  was 
found  incorrupt,  covered  with  a  sweet-scented  liquor,  and 
again  clad  in  the  habit  of  St.  Francis,  by  the  same  invi- 
sible agency  it  had  been  before  stripped  of  it ;  while  that 
of  the  son  was  found  putrid,  and  fast  dwindling  into  dis- 
solution. The  former's  body  was  removed  and  depo- 
sited under  the  altar  of  the  Franciscan  church  at  Genoa, 
where  it  is  kept  to  this  day  as  a  lasting  memorial  of  the 
power  of  St.  Francis,  and  of  the  good  effects  following 
from  being  buried  in  his  habit,  and  from  the  prayers  and 
suffrages  of  his  holy  disciples,  (especially  when  they  are 
paid  for  them,  some  heretic  will  add  1)  and  of  the  terrible 
punishment  awaiting  those  that  dare  defraud  them  of  any 
part  of  that  which  the  Almighty  inspired  the  minds  of 
departing  sinners  to  bequeath  them. 

Thei  above  story  is  its  own  comment.  I  shall  not  add 
a  single  word  to  the  bare  narrative,  but  leave  the  reader 
to  make  his  own  reflections  upon  it;  only  remarking, 
that  it  is  by  such  means  that  monasteries  acquire  their 
riches.  If,  however,  a  church  that  gives  countenance  to 
such  absurdities  be  infallible,  thank  God,  there  are  few 
infallible  churches  in  the  world. 
15 


158  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

Besides  the  fables  and  stories  invented  for  the  purpose 
of  increasing  the  popular  veneration  for  those  things  to 
which  they  attribute  miraculous  power,  and  which  fables 
they  are  not  ashamed  to  relate  publicly  in  their  pulpit, 
thus  converting  the  temple  of  God  into  a  place  for  pro- 
moting their  own  worldly  views,  they  have  also  other 
ways  by  which  they  arrive  at  the  same  end — ways, 
indeed,  more  slow  than  the  former,  but  yet  more  sure. 
The  old  monks,  especially,  are  appointed  to  the  exercise 
of  them,  as  being  supposed  to  have  arrived  at  perfection, 
by  long  practice,  in  the  arts  of  monkery.  These  ways 
chiefly  consist  in  wheedling  themselves  into  the  bosom 
of  families,  and  having  acquired  a  degree  of  footing  in 
them,  and  become  master  of  their  secrets,  either  through 
the  organ  of  confession,  or  by  the  incautious  relations  of 
the  heads  of  the  families  themselves,  and  not  unfrequently 
by  that  of  tattling  servants,  they  take  their  own  measures, 
and  convert  every  circumstance  to  further  the  end  never 
lost  sight  of— the  advantage  of  themselves  and  of  their 
order. 

The  females  belonging  to  such  families  are  more 
especially  those  upon  whose  weak  and  uneducated  minds 
—nearly  all  Italian  women  are  miserably  uneducated — 
they  make  the  greatest  impression.  To  these  they  re- 
late the  wonders  and  miracles  performed  by  their  order, 
and  by  its  founder;  the  power  granted  from  Heaven  to 
all  those  clad  in  their  habit ;  the  very  great  benefits,  tem- 
poral as  well  as  spiritual,  accruing  to  believers  from  the 
prayers  and  suffrages  of  the  monks  ;  and  the  exceedingly 
great  happiness  of  having  St.  Francis  and  his  beatified 
followers  interceding  for  departed  souls  at  the  throne  of 
the  Almighty.  If  these  females  be  mothers  of  families, 
they  will  endeavour  to  instil  into  the  minds  of  their  child- 
ren the  same  notions  of  monkish  sanctity  with  which 
their  own  minds  are  imbued,  and  thus  the  monlis  find 
the  rising  generation  as  willing  to  be  duped,  and  to  be 
subservient  to  their  impositions,  as  their  fathers  and 
mothers  were  before  them.  If  the  family  with  which  a 
monk  has  succeeded  to  ingratiate  himself  be  in  opulent 
circumstances — and  monks  seldom  bait  their  hooks  for 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  159 

any  others — then  the  merit  to  be  obtained  by  giving 
money  for  the  celebration  of  masses,  or  for  buying  clothes 
for  the  decoration  of  the  image  of  the  Madonna,  or  for 
singing  an  office  for  the  repose  of  the  soul  of  some  de- 
parted relative  or  friend ;  the  merit  to  be  obtained  by 
things  of  this  description  is  laid  open  by  him  in  a  most 
forcible  light,  and  seldom  fails  of  bringing  money  into 
the  coffers  of  the  convent.  If  the  wife  should  have  any 
cause,  either  real  or  imaginary,  to  complain  of  her  hus- 
band, or  the  husband  of  his  wife,  to  whom  else  could 
either  of  them  reveal,  with  more  propriety,  the  domestic 
brawl  than  to  the  man  of  God, — as  the  favoured  monk  is 
styled  ?  And  does  the  man  of  God  endeavour  to  restore 
peace  and  mutual  confidence  again  to  this  divided  family  ? 
If  it  answer  his  ends,  that  is,  if  it  be  for  the  good  of 
himself  and  of  his  order,  he  endeavours  to  do  so  ;  for  if 
both  husband  and  wife  be  equally  blind  and  attached  to 
the  order,  he  finds  it  more  his  interest  to  have  them  re- 
conciled than  at  variance.  But  if,  on  the  contrary,  one 
should  be  inimical  to  the  order,  and  the  other  friendly  to 
it,  he  is  very  sure,  and  it  is  part  of  his  tact,  to  endeavour 
to  widen  the  breach ;  for  he  can  gain  more  by  their  dis- 
sension than  by  their  harmony.  The  wife  is  the  one  on 
■whom  he  more  especially  depends  for  the  success  of  his 
designs,  as  the  husband,  in  most  cases,  barely  tolerates 
his  visits,  and  would  wish  to  see  both  him  and  his  con- 
vent (which,  perhaps,  at  the  coffee-house,  among  his 
companions,  he  calls  it  by  its  right  name, — a  den  for 
knaves)  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea.  The  monk  is  not 
so  stupid  as  not  to  perceive  the  dislike  in  which  the 
husband  holds  him  and  his  order,  and,  if  it  be  ever  in 
his  power,  he  does  not  forget  it  toward  him.  He,  how- 
ever, has  the  wife  still  to  work  upon ;  and  she,  on  her 
part,  finds  him  a  ready  listener  while  she  relates  the 
faults  and  failings  of  her  husband.  Instances  are  not 
wanting  of  whole  families  turned  topsy-turvy  through 
the  meddling  of  monks  in  their  private  concerns ;  for, 
instead  of  being  blessed  peace-makers,  the  effects  follow- 
ing their  mediations  prove  them  to  be  accursed  sowers 
of  dissensions.     Wives  at  variance  with  their  husbands 


160  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

have  been  frequently  found  to  have  made  away  with  the 
substance  and  properties  of  the  same,  and  to  have  bestow- 
ed them  upon  their  advisers,  the  monks  ;  and  all  this,  by 
the  encouragement  and  exhortation  of  the  monks  them- 
selves. 

In  illustration  of  the  evil  effects  which  usually  attend 
the  meddling  of  friars  in  family  concerns,  and  of  the 
wicked  use  which  they  make  of  the  influence  gained  over 
the  minds  of  the  female  members  of  such  families,  I  shall 
mention  a  circumstance  related  to  me  by  a  gentleman 
whom  I  met  at  Corfu. 

There  lived  in  the  town  of  Macerata  situated  in  the 
march  of  Ancona,  and  about  fifty  miles  from  the  city  of 
Ancona  itself,  a  newly  married  couple,  of  the  name  of 
Riezzi,  well  to  do  in  the  world ;  Riezzi  himself  being  a 
public  notary  of  some  estimation  in  the  town.  His  wife 
was  foolishly  attached  to  a  convent  of  Franciscan  monks, 
who  had  chosen  that  city  as  a  place  for  carrying  on  their 
impostures,  and  who  realized  considerable  incomes  from 
the  superstition  of  the  people.  Her  more  particular 
favourite  was  her  confessor,  the  superior  of  the  foremen- 
tioned  convent,  and  with  him  she  spent  more  time  than 
in  the  company  of  her  husband.  The  latter,  on  the  other 
hand,  could  barely  tolerate  the  visits  and  intrusions  of  the 
monks  into  his  house,  and  privately  told  his  wife,  that  he 
would  be  better  pleased  if  she  made  less  freedom  with 
them.  This  was  the  cause  of  a  contention  between 
them,  which  afterward  broke  out  into  an  open  rupture. 
The  wife  complained  to  her  confessor  that  she  v/as  badly 
treated  by  her  husband,  chiefly  on  account  of  her  endea- 
vouring to  work  out  her  salvation  by  adhering  to  the 
advice  and  practising  the  directions  laid  down  by  him, 
in  his  capacity  of  minister  of  Christ.  She  then  enume- 
rated many  of  the  bad  qualities  of  her  husband,  and  among 
others,  did  not  forget  to  mention  the  command  received 
from  him  of  breaking  oflf  her  acquaintance  with  himself, 
and  with  those  of  his  order.  The  hatred  which  the  hus- 
band had  for  those  of  his  convent,  and  consequently  for 
himself,  had  not  escaped  the  observation  of  the  perfidious 
confessor,  and  he  therefore  lent  a  willing  ear  to  this  con- 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  161 

firmation  of  what  he  had  already  observed.  By  his  ad- 
vice, his  penitent,  the  wife,  continued  in  her  usual  routine 
of  confessions,  communions,  fasting,  &c.,  and  in  giving 
whatever  she  could  pilfer  privately  from  her  husband  to 
the  community  of  which  he  himself  was  head.  The  friars 
now  abstained  from  their  accustomed  visits  to  his  house, 
but  to  be  revenged  for  his  casting  them  oft',  they  took 
every  opportunity  which  presented  of  speaking  badly  of 
him  in  their  visits  to  other  houses,  and  of  representing 
him  as  a  man  of  no  religion,  and  as  one  infected  with  the 
principles  of  freemasonry,  which  at  that  time,  as  well  as 
now,  were  fast  spreading  through  the  Roman  states.  The 
poor  man,  by  reason  of  such  insinuations  and  such  reports, 
found  himself  by  degrees  losing  his  extensive  practice, 
and  looked  upon  with  suspicion  by  his  fellow  townsmen  ; 
besides  being  under  the  close  surveillance  of  the  police. 
He  suspected  that  his  wife  had  a  hand  in  raising  this 
storm,  through  the  agency  of  the  monks  to  whom  she  had 
complained  against  him.  He  accused  her  of  it,  and  she, 
far  from  denying  having  had  part  in  it,  even  gloried  in 
her  own  shame,  and  plainly  told  him,  that  the  duty  she 
owed  to  God  was  of  greater  importance  than  that  she 
owed  to  her  husband,  and  therefore  her  duty  to  God  had 
prompted  her  to  resist  his  attempts  at  withdrawing  from 
her  the  advice  and  directions  of  God's  ministers.  On 
this,  words  rose  high  between  them,  and  from  words  the 
husband  proceeded  to  violence,  and  gave  her  a  blow 
which  stretched  her  lifeless  on  the  floor.  Fearing  he 
had  killed  her,  he  thought  it  best  to  consult  for  his  own 
safety  by  a  hasty  flight,  and  thus  make  his  escape  from 
the  hands  of  justice.  He  immediately  fled  from  his 
house,  taking  with  him  whatever  at  that  moment  he 
could  lay  hands  upon  ;  but  knowing  how  difticult  it  would 
be  to  elude  the  searchq^  of  those  who  would  be  sent  in 
pursuit  of  him,  he  deemed  it  expedient  to  unite  himself 
with  the  insurgent  army,  who  were  about  that  time  to 
march  from  Bologna  toward  Rome,  in  order  to  take  pos- 
session of  the  latter  city,  and  free  their  country  from  papal 
bondage. 

At  Civita  Castellano  he  distinguished  himself  by  his 
15* 


162  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

bravery  and  perseverance  in  attacking  that  fortress,  which 
impeded  the  further  progress  of  the  brave  and  talented 
insurgents.*  The  expedition  entirely  failing,  and  being 
forced  to  retire  on  the  approach  of  the  Austrians,  who 
were  sent  for  by  the  pope  to  help  him  to  tyrannize  over 
his  unfortunate  subjects,  he  Avith  many  others  fled  toward 
the  sea-coast,  and  seizing  upon  a  fishing  smack  that  was 
drawn  up  on  the  beach,  put  to  sea  and  steered  for  Corfu, 
which  island  they  reached  after  a  passage  of  ten  days, 
during  which  they  suffered  great  privations,  not  having 
had  time  to  provide  themselves  with  sufficient  provisions; 
and  fuey  would  certainly  have  died  of  starvation,  had  they 
not  fortunately  fallen  in  with  a  Maltese  vessel,  which  took 
them  aboard  and  landed  them  safely  in  their  place  of 
destination.  At  Corfu,  I  became  acquainted  with  Signor 
Riezzi,  and  from  his  own  mouth  I  learned  the  circum- 
stance which  I  have  now  related.  He  further  informed 
me,  that  his  wife  recovered  soon  after  his  departure,  and 
following  the  advice  of  the  monks,  laid  information  against 
him  before  the  prefect  of  the  police,  who  immediately 
despatched  his  myrmidons  in  pursuit.  His  property  was 
afterward  confiscated,  and  she  turned  into  the  streets, 
without  the  means  of  subsistence — a  punishment  she  well 
merited  for  her  perfidious  and  unbecoming  conduct. 

If  a  monk  obtain  footing  in  a  rich  family,  where  there 
are  young  women,  daughters,  his  first  care  will  be  to  en- 
deavour to  weaken  their  affections  for  their  parents  and 
kindred ;  and  to  fix  them  upon  something,  by  which  he 
and  his  order  might  be  benefited.     He  opens  his  attack 

*  The  insurrection,  which  in  the  year  1831  broke  out  in  the 
Roman  states,  was  planned  and  perfected  wholly  in  Bologna.  The 
chief  leaders  of  it  were  medicrd  and  legal  students  in  that  city.  In- 
deed, all  who  were  tired  and  wearied  out  with  monks,  priests,  and 
friars  ;  all,  who  had  sense  enough  to  see^to  the  impositions  practised 
in  order  to  uphold  the  papal  power ;  even  many  of  the  secular  and 
regular  clergy,  who  esteemed  the  common  good  of  greater  importance 
than  their  own  individual  interest,  were  all  and  every  one  of  them 
united  in  the  common  cause,  and  bound  themselves  by  a  sacred  oath 
to  use  all  the  means  in  their  power  to  free  their  country  even  at  the 
hazard  of  their  own  lives  and  fortunes.  They  richly  deserve  then  the 
epithet  of  "  brave  and  talented  insurgents." 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  163 

open  the  daughters  of  his  host  by  a  long  detail  of  the 
happiness  to  be  found  in  the  monastic  state,  and  the  very- 
high  privileges  enjoyed  by  those  who  are  so  fortunate  as 
to  become  the  spouses  of  Jesus  Christ — the  blasphemous 
title  which  they  give  to  nuns.*  This  is  his  favourite 
topic,  especially  when  some  of  the  young  women  are 
present,  though  he  does  not  direct  his  discourse  imme- 
diately to  them  ;  for  the  better  to  succeed  in  his  purpose, 
which  is  manifestly  that  of  enticing  them  into  a  convent, 
he  appears  not  even  to  be  conscious  of  their  presence. 
He  therefore  addresses  wholly  his  discourse  to  the  mo- 
ther, or  to  some  other  tartuffish  old  Avoman  who  miy  be 
present.  He  knows  well  enough  that  his  discourse  will 
not  be  thrown  away,  for  either  it  will  have  the  desired 
effect  immediately  on  the  minds  of  those  for  whom  it  is 
intended ;  or  will  be  repeated,  after  his  departure,  by  the 
mother,  or  aunt,  or  by  some  other  woman  who  was  list- 
ening to  it,  and  thus  at  length  will  be  deeply  fixed  on  the 
minds  of  the  young  women.  If  he  be  the  confessor  of 
young  women  of  this  description,  he  will  then  have  a 
favourable  opportunity  of  working  upon  their  minds,  and 
of  entrapping  them  into  a  compliance  with  his  wishes. 
While  seated  in  the  confessional,  with  his  victims  on 
their  knees  before  him,  he  can  very  easily,  under  the  form 
of  advice  and  instruction,  lay  open  to  them  the  difficulty 
of  saving  their  souls  in  the  married  state ;  the  dangers 
and  temptations  of  the  world ;  the  troubles  and  hardships 
which  they  will  have  to  endure  for  their  husbands  and 
children ;    in    fine,   he   can    represent  every   thing  in 

*  It  is  a  remarkable  coincidence,  that  to  nearly  all  the  Hindoo 
temples  are  attached  numbers  of  females  who  are  openly  prostituted 
to  the  base  desires  of  the  priests,  and  of  those  who  frequent  the  tem- 
ples. These  women,  like  the  nuns  of  the  Romish  church,  are  said  to 
be  "  the  spouses  of  the  god."  Query — Are  not  both  employed  for 
the  same  purpose — the  gratification  of  the  desires  of  their  infamous 
priests  1  Thj  more  popery  is  examined,  the  more  striking  will  her 
relationship  to  all  the  false  religions,  ancient  and  modern,  appear. 
Her  peculiarities  and  practices  are  evidently  the  same  with  those  of 
paganism,  and  the  doctrines  of  both  lead  to  the  same  end,  and  have 
the  same  object  in  view — the  destruction  of  souls,  and  the  private 
advantage  of  their  ministers. 


164  SIX   YEARS   IN  THE 

the  worst  light,  which  the  young  women,  if  left  to  their 
own  unprejudiced  judgment,  would  consider  as  the  neces- 
sary attendants  on  the  lot  of  human  nature.  On  the  other 
hand,  he  paints  in  most  enticing  colours  the  peace  and 
calm  to  be  found  in  the  state  of  a  nun  ;  the  facilities 
held  forth  by  that  state  for  holding  a  closer  communion 
with  God  ;  the  protection  and  intercession  of  the  deceased 
holy  nuns,  who  walked  before  them  in  the  same  road  to 
salvation  ;  the  harmony  and  sisterly  love  which  reign 
among  the  holy  virgins  dedicated  to  God,  and  the  honour 
of  becoming  a  spouse  of  Jesus  Christ;  all  and  every  one 
of  these  will  be  painted  by  him  in  the  most  glowing 
colours,  and  insensibly  make  an  impression  on  the  minds 
of  his  unsuspecting  victims,  till  at  last  they  consent  to 
become  self-murderers,  and  to  bury  themselves  alive  in  the 
convent  of  some  sisterhood,  of  which  their  confessor  or 
the  monks  of  his  order  have  the  government.  After  the 
fatal  step,  they  soon  become  aware  of  the  deception  prac- 
tised upon  them  by  their  wily  confessor,  and  clearly  see, 
in  a  short  time,  that  their  fortunes,  and  not  their  persons, 
were  longed  for  by  the  nuns  of  the  convent,  into  which 
they  were  so  unfortunate  as  to  enter.  Their  life  will 
become  miserable,  and  they  will  spend  it  in  cursing  their 
unhappy  fate,  and  in  cursing  the  perfidy  of  the  villain— 
for  so  they  will  call  him — who,  taking  advantage  of  their 
inexperience  and  simplicity,  led  them  by  his  advice  and 
counsels,  in  order  to  advance  his  own  private  interests,  to 
sacrifice  themselves  at  the  shrine  of  a  monstrous  and 
unnatural  superstition.  Every  thing  will  be  found  quite 
contrary  to  what  they  were  led  to  expect,  and  from  what 
it  was  represented  to  them  ;  they  will  find  neither  peace, 
happiness,  nor  religion  ;  and  instead  of  experiencing  the 
sweet  calm  and  contentment  of  those,  who  have  placed 
their  affections  on  the  things  which  this  world  cannot 
bestow,  they  will  experience  the  torment  of  desires, 
which  they  are  obliged  to  repress,  or  at  least  conceal,  of 
disappointment,  and  of  despair.  Let  it  not  be  supposed, 
that  this  picture  of  a  nun's  life  is  too  highly  coloured ; 
nd  that  the  description  I  have  given  of  it  surpasses,  in 
ny  way,  the  truth.     Let  those  that  imagine  so,  only 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  165 

examine  for  themselves,  and  without  trusting  to  the  opi- 
nion of  others,  let  them  take  a  view  of  human  nature,  as 
it  exists  under  their  own  actual  observation ;  and  if  they 
continue  in  opposing  the  truth  of  the  above  picture,  then 
indeed  their  eyes  must  have  lost  their  natural  force,  and 
become  incapable  of  performing  what  they  were  designed 
for — to  help  the  judgment  in  forming  just  notions  of 
things. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  monks  go  to  this  trouble 
of  inveigling  young  women  into  nunneries,  thereby  bring- 
ing down  upon  themselves  the  curses  of  those  upon  whom 
they  succeed,  without  having  some  other  object  in  view, 
besides  the  gratuitous  pleasure  of  rendering  others  mise- 
rable. Although  they  derive  no  little  pleasure,  even  from 
this  fiendish  indulgence,  they  yet  have  a  more  substantial 
object  also  in  view — even  that  of  obtaining  a  part  of  the 
young  woman's  fortune,  which  she  takes  with  her  to  the 
nunnery,  and  gives  up  to  the  disposal  of  her  future  sisters. 
The  monks,  like  recruiting  sergeants,  who  get  so  much 
a  head  for  the  men  whom  they  bring  to  join  the  military 
service,  have  also  their  head-money  for  every  young  lady 
of  fortune  that  they  entrap  into  a  nunnery.  They  are 
also  the  governors  of  the  nunneries,  and  all  money  mat- 
ters and  affairs  relating  to  its  interests  are  transacted  by 
them.  The  richer  then  the  nunnery  is,  the  more  oppor- 
tunities will  they  have  of  pilfering  it,  and  of  converting 
the  surplus  revenues  to  their  own  private  use,  or  to  that 
of  the  convent  to  which  they  belong.  The  desire  of 
enriching  themselves  seems  to  be  the  main-spring  of 
their  treachery;  and  all  the  delusive  arts  which  they 
practise  for  the  purpose  of  working  upon  the  minds  of 
the  simple  and  confiding,  seem  directed  to  the  accom- 
plishment of  that  great  end. 

A  young  gentleman,  whose  sister  was  inveigled  into  a 
convent  by  the  persuasions  and  manoeuvres  of  a  monk, 
her  confessor,  and  who  was  obliged  to  flee  from  Italy 
himself,  on  account  of  joining  the  Bolognese  insurgents, 
related  to  me  at  Corfu,  his  place  of  refuge,  and  mme  also 
indeed,  the  following  story.  It  will  illustrate  and  give 
an  example  of  the  manner  in  which  monks  act,  in  order 


166  SIX    YEARS   IN   THE 

to  draw  young  women  of  property  under  their  control. 
I  shall  relate  it  in  his  own  words. 

"  My  father  was  a  goldsmith  in  Senegaglia,  and  ac- 
quired a  handsome  independence  by  his  industry  and 
success  in  trade.  I  had  two  sisters,  one  older  and  the 
other  younger  than  myself.  My  older  sister  was  mar- 
ried, while  yet  very  young,  to  one  of  her  own  equals, 
my  father  being  able  to  give  her  a  considerable  dowry. 
She  also,  before  her  marriage,  was  besieged  by  the  arts 
and  stratagems  of  the  monks,  who  endeavoured  to  per- 
suade her  to  become  a  nun  ;  but  being  naturally  of  a 
strong  mind,  she  was  able  to  see  into  their  designs,  and 
to  evade  the  snares  that  were  laid  for  her  happiness.  I 
should  have  told  you  that  my  father  was  very  intimate 
with  monks  of  the  Dominican  order,  who  had  a  convent 
in  our  town.  These  were  frequent  visiters  at  his  house 
and  table,  and  seemed  to  have  acquired  a  considerable 
influence  over  him.  His  table,  his  money,  his  interest, 
every  thing  he  had,  was  at  their  service,  while  they,  on 
their  part,  wished  to  repay  his  kindness  by  marking  out 
his  three  children  for  their  victims.  The  marriage  of 
my  elder  sister  did  not  in  the  least  discourage  them  in 
their  attempts,  though  her  fortune  was  considered  a  seri- 
ous loss  ;  for  they  congratulated  themselves  on  the  fair 
field  they  had  for  enticing  her  into  a  convent,  and  thereby 
gaining  possession  of  it.  They  now  exerted  themselves 
with  renewed  vigour  in  working  pn  the  minds  of  the  re- 
maining two,  myself  and  my  younger  sister.  As  forme, 
they  were  almost  sure — I  showed  such  a  docile,  flexible 
disposition — that  I  could  be  easily  prevailed  upon  to  em- 
brace their  order,  and  enrich  the  convent  with  the  pro- 
perty which  my  father,  at  his  death,  would  bequeath 
me.  Nor  did  they  give  up  their  hopes  of  my  coming  to 
that  determination,  when  I  was  removed  to  Bologna,  by 
my  father's  orders,  to  prepare  myself  for  the  medical 
profession.  They  followed  me  there  by  letters,  and  gave 
notice  to  their  fellow  Dominicans  in  Bologna,  that  I  was 
game  worth  chasing,  and  that  they  should  endeavour  to 
ingratiate  themselves  into  my  favour;  as  the  property 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC  167 

which  I  was  heir  to  would  be  of  great  advantage  to  the 
whole  Dominican  order, 

"I  was  hardly  well  set  down  at  Bologna,  when  I 
found  my  acquaintance  eagerly  sought  after  by  the  monks. 
I  was  pressed  to  accept  of  invitations  to  dinners,  festivals, 
and  other  things  of  this  kind,  almost  every  day  by  them  ; 
and  when  I  did  accept  them,  I  was  treated  with  the  great- 
est respect,  placed  at  the  head  of  the  table,  and  flattered 
in  the  most  fulsome  manner.  They  never  ceased  speak- 
ing before  me  of  the  happiness  to  be  enjoyed  in  the 
monastic  life,  and  how  far  superior  that  life  is  to  a  secular, 
and  how  much  better  to  enjoy  the  sweet  calm  and  tran- 
quillity of  a  monastery,  than  be  tossed  about  and  harass- 
ed by  the  turmoils  oi"  the  world.  They  certainly  were 
making  strong  impressions  on  my  mind,  and  would  have 
succeeded  in  bringing  me  over  to  their  wishes,  had  not  a 
conversation,  which  I  accidentally  overheard  between  the 
prior  and  another  friar,  opened  my  eyes  to  their  designs. 
Visiting  the  convent  one  evening  when  I  was  not  expect- 
ed, I  heard  my  own  name  frequently  repeated  by  two 
who  seemed  deeply  engaged  in  conversation.  Curiosity 
prompted  me  to  listen  more  attentively,  when  I  discover- 
ed that  their  conversation  was  about  myself,  and  that  the 
final  attack  in  persuading  me  should  be  made  in  a  few 
days.  I  could  also  discover,  from  their  conversation, 
that  my  sister  had  consented  to  become  a  Dominican  nun, 
and  that  my  father  had  already  given  his  consent.  1  re- 
tired from  the  convent  without  being  seen  by  any  one, 
and  immediately  wrote  a  letter  to  my  father,  acquainting 
him  with  what  I  had  overheard,  and  entreating  him  to 
retract  the  consent  he  had  given  of  having  my  unfortu- 
nate sister  buried  alive.  I  afterward  learned,  that  my 
sister,  after  my  departure  being  left  alone,  and  having  no 
one  to  direct  her,  gave  herself  up  wholly  to  the  guidance 
of  the  monks,  and  they  at  last  succeeded  in  prevailing 
upon  her  to  enter  a  nunnery.  She  remained  firm  in  her 
intention,  and  having  received  her  portion  from  my 
father,  she  settled  it  on  the  convent,  and  took  the  veil. 
After  her  solemn  profession,  she  became  more  fully  ac- 
quainted with  monachism,  which  soon  brought  on  grief 


168  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

and  disappointment.  These  soon  preyed  on  her  spirus» 
and  produced  a  slow  decline,  of  which  she  soon  after 
died,  cursing  with  her  latest  breath  the  perfidy  of  the 
villains  who  had  worked  on  her  weak  mind,  in  order  to 
get  possession  of  her  fortune,  by  enticing  her  into  a  con- 
vent. I  became  after  this  so  disgusted,  so  enraged  against 
the  monks,  that  I  refused  having  any  more  connexion 
with  them,  and  even  refused  them  admittance  to  my 
lodgings,  when  they  came  for  the  purpose  of  visiting  me. 
They,  on  the  other  hand,  finding  that  they  had  lost  their 
influence  over  me,  wrote  many  letters  to  my  father, 
wherein  they  were  not  ashamed  to  give  utterance  to 
many  falsehoods  relating  to  my  conduct  at  the  University  ; 
and  by  which  they  hoped  to  prejudice  him  against  me. 
My  father  himself,  after  a  short  time  becoming  conscious 
of  the  scheme  which  was  laid  for  entrapping  his  fortune 
and  his  children,  took  no  notice  of  their  calumnies,  and 
even  advised  me  not  to  have  any  thing  to  do  with  them, 
and  not  to  pay  any  attention  either  to  their  advice  or 
themselves.  I  believe  he  repented  of  being  so  easily 
duped  in  my  sister's  case,  and  forbade  his  former  friends, 
the  Dominicans,  his  house,  after  my  sister's  death.  I 
myself  joined  the  insurgents  at  Bologna,  and  now, 
through  the  miscarriage  of  our  glorious  expedition,  am, 
like  yourself,  (meaning  me,)  indebted  to  a  foreign  land 
for  protection.  My  father  is  still  living,  and  remits  me 
money  when  he  can  do  it,  without  running  the  risk  of 
being  discovered.  I  myself  am  outlawed,  but  my  father 
assures  me  that  he  will  come  and  settle  in  Corfu  as  soon 
as  he  can  dispose  of  his  property." 

Here  my  friend  finished  his  narrative.  I  have  given 
it,  to  the  best  of  my  recollection,  in  his  own  words,  and 
I  consider  it  a  striking  example  of  the  perfidy  and  chi- 
canery of  monks  in  their  attempts  to  enrich  themselves 
at  the  expense  of  the  happiness  of  others,  whether  males 
or  females.  The  reader  will  be  pleased  to  learn,  that  the 
father  of  the  above  soon  after  arrived  in  Corfu,  having 
disposed  of  his  property  in  Senegaglia,  and  lives  there 
now  contented  in  the  society  of  his  son. 


MONASTEKIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC.  169 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Adoration  and  prayers  to  saints — Confirmed  by  the  Council  of  Trent 
— Absurdity  of  that  doctrine — Image-worship — Papists  really  and 
truly  idolaters — How  they  excuse  themselves — Adoration  of  the 
statue  of  Saint  Januarius  at  Naples  —  Blasphemous  prayer  ad- 
dressed to  Jesus  Christ  by  the  Neapolitans — Idol-worship  practised 
by  all  false  religions-=-Modern  Greeks  and  Romans  inexcusable — 
History  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  image-worship  in  the  church 
of  Christ — Image-worship  abhorred  by  the  primitive  church — 
Opinions  of  some  of  the  early  fathers  on  that  subject — Images  of 
saints  admitted  as  ornaments  in  the  churches  in  the  beginning  of 
the  fifth  century — Gregory  the  Great  condemns  image-worship — 
The  monks  of  the  eighth  centurj'  establish  image-worship  by  their 
own  example — Edict  of  Leo,  the  Isaurian,  concerning  images — 
The  priests  and  monks  excite  the  people  to  rebellion  in  conse- 
quence of  it  —  Leo  orders  all  images  to  be  publicly  burnt  — 
Image-worship  favoured  by  popes — Iconoclastae,  and  IconolatrjE — . 
Charlemagne  declares  against  image-worship — Claudius,  bishop  of 
Turin,  orders  all  images  to  be  cast  out  of  the  churches — Image- 
worship  established  by  law  in  the  eastern  and  western  churches, 
and  triumphs  till  the  era  of  the  reformation — Effects  of  the 
reformation  on  image-worship. 

The  invocation  of  saints — that  is,  the  adoration  of, 
and  prayers  to,  the  saints — is  a  favourite  doctrine  of  the 
church  of  Rome.  The  Council  of  Trent  expressly 
teaches  ;  "  that  the  saints  reigning  with  Christ  in  heaven, 
offer  up  and  present  prayers  to  God  for  men,  and  that 
those  who  pray  to  the  saints  for  their  intercession,  may- 
expect  to  have  their  prayers  to  God  heard  iinth  more 
attention."  Though  these  are  not  the  precise  words  of 
the  council  on  the  article  of  invocation  of  saints,  yet  it 
is  manifest  that  such  is  the  meaning  of  them,  and  that  a 
belief  in  the  help  afforded  by  saints  to  their  fellow  sin- 
ners in  obtaining  salvation,  is  intended  to  be  established 
by  them.  This  doctrine  is  so  contrary  to  Scripture,  and 
to  common  sense,  that  no  one,  who  has  for  a  moment 
examined  it,  can  think  seriously  of  setting  it  down  as  an 
article  of  the  Christian  faith ;  nay,  he  will  immediately 
16 


170  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

perceive,  that  it  is  one  of  those  monstrous  absurd  doc- 
trines, with  which  the  Romish  church  has  darkened  the 
clear  atmosphere  of  genuine  Christianity.  The  scriptu- 
ral arguments  by  which  it  is  proved  heretical  and  errone- 
ous are  numerous  and  unanswerable  ;  but  as  bringing 
them  forward  in  this  work  might  be  deemed  unneces 
sary  and  superfluous,  I  shall  on  that  account  omit  them. 
It  is  a  doctrine  also  directly  contrary  to  common  sense  ; 
for  it  supposes  the  omnipresence  of  finite  and  limited 
beings,  and  their  being  able  to  hear  and  attend  to,  at  one 
and  the  same  time,  prayers  offered  up  to  them  in  differ- 
ent parts  of  the  world — in  China  and  Ireland,  Rome  and 
Madrid.  This  being  the  attribute  of  God  alone,  it  cannot 
then  be  applied  to  one  of  his  creatures  without  derogat- 
ing from  his  honour,  and  robbing  him  of  one  of  his  attri- 
butes. If  it  be  denied  that  such  a  supposition  is  made ; 
how  then,  it  may  be  asked,  can  the  saints  hear  the  re- 
quests and  prayers  offered  up  to  them,  if  they  be  not 
near?  If  they  have  not  the  power  of  hearing  such  pray- 
ers ;  how  then^  can  they  attend  to  them,  and  intercede 
with  God  in  favour  of  the  petitioners.  It  is  clear,  there- 
fore, that  addressing  prayers  and  petitions  to  such  pow- 
erless gods — for  gods  they  really  are  made — is  incon- 
sistent with  common  sense,  and  unworthy  of  a  judicious 
mind. 

From  this  erroneous  doctrine  of  the  invocation  of 
saints,  flow  the  adoration  and  worship  paid  to  images, 
pictures,  and  relics.  This  adoration,  however  it  may  be 
excused  and  got  over  by  the  advocates  of  popery,  is  cer- 
tainly in  itself  positive  idolatry.  Idolatry  is  the  act  of 
ascribing  to  things  and  persons  properties  which  are 
peculiar  to  God  alone.  When  the  papist  ascribes  to  a 
certain  image,  or  to  a  certain  picture  situated  in  a  certain 
part  of  the  world,  the  power  of  healing  the  sick,  of 
granting  miraculous  favours,  of  protecting  from  pesti- 
lence, shipwrecks,  &;c.,  does  he  not  ascribe  to  inanimate, 
dead,  and  senseless  things  properties  peculiar  to  God 
alone  ?  Is  he  not  then  acting  the  idolater  ?  When  he 
bows  down  to,  and  worships  such  an  image,  or  such  a 
picture,  for  the  sake  of  propitiating  it  in  his  favour ;  is 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  171 

he  not  then  acting  idolatrously  ?  And  granting,  that  he 
adores,  worships,  and  prays  to — not  the  stone  or  can- 
vass, of  which  the  idol  or  picture  is  composed — though 
ninety-nine  out  of  a  hundred  saint-worshippers  really 
imagine  that  the  idol  itself  has  the  power  of  granting 
him  his  petitions,  and  adores  it  with  the  great  sincerity 
accordingly  ;  for  if  such  an  idea  did  not  exist,  why  would 
there  be  a  distinction  made  between  the  image  of  a  saint 
situated  in  one  place,  and  that  in  another? — even  grant- 
ing that  he  prays  to  and  adores  the  person  represented 
by  such  a  picture  or  image ;  is  he  on  that  account  free 
from  the  crime  of  idolatry  ?  I  should  think  not ;  whereas 
he  gives  that  adoration  to  a  creature  which  is  due  to 
God  alone,  and  attributes  to  the  same  creature  a  power, 
which,  if  he  really  possessed  it,  he  would  be  no  longer  a 
creature.  Nor  will  it  lessen  the  objection  to  say,  that 
ihe  creature  prayed  to  is  now  a  sanctified  person  and 
enjoying  the  favour  of  God,  and  therefore,  that  pray- 
ers are  offered  to  him  for  the  purpose  of  imploring  his 
intercession  at  the  throne  of  the  Almighty.  This  ex- 
cuse, even  if  it  were  true,  which  it  is  not,  as  all  must 
confess  who  have  fully  examined  the  subject,  would  be 
of  no  avail,  for  it  would  still  remain  to  be  accounted  for, 
upon  what  authority  another  mediator  between  God  and 
man,  besides  the  man  Christ  Jesus,  was  set  up,  contrary 
to  the  express  words  of  Scripture.  Besides,  in  soliciting 
the  mediation  of  that  creature,  the  creature  itself  is  adored 
and  worshipped  ;  but  he  who  worships  or  adores  a  crea- 
ture is  an  idolater;  ergo,  it  is  certain,  that  all  saint- 
adorers  and  saint-worshippers  are  idolaters.  But  so  far 
from  the  devotees  of  saints  praying  for  their  intercession 
and  protection,  they,  for  the  most  part,  are  confident, 
that  the  saints  themselves  have  the  immediate  power  of 
granting  them  their  request,  and  therefore,  pray  to  them 
accordingly,  without  even  once  thinking  of  God,  or  that 
he  alone  has  the  power  of  satisfying  them.  This  is 
fully  proved  by  the  practices  of  the  people  in  those 
countries,  where  saint- worship  and  idolatry  is  established 
by  law,  under  the  name  of  Christianity.  Their  curses, 
and  even  their  blessings  are  always  invoked  in  the  name 


173  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

of  some  saint.  "  Che  vi  venga  la  maledizione  di  San 
Francesco  ;"  or  "  la  Madonna  vi  ajuti," — (The  curse  of 
St.  Francis  on  you  :  may  the  Virgin  Mary  be  your 
guide,) — are  frequent  forms  of  prayer  or  malediction,  in 
the  mouth  of  every  Italian.  In  Naples,  as  remarkable 
for  the  shrine  of  St,  Januarius,  as  for  the  volcano  of 
Vesuvius,  whose  eruptions  are  kept  in  order — so  the 
people  believe,  and  so  the  priests  of  his  temple  preach — 
by  his  blood  contained  in  a  vial,  it  is  no  uncommon  thing 
to  hear  the  following  blasphemous  prayer:  "O  Gesu 
Christo,  prega,  ti  pregiamo,  a  san  Gennaro  a  far  un 
miracolo  ;"  or,  "  pregalo  a  concederci  questo  favore  ;" 
(O  Jesus  Christ,  we  pray  thee  to  pray  St.  Januarius  to 
perform  a  miracle,  or  pray  him  to  grant  us  this  favour, 
&c.)  Thus  St.  Januarius  is  placed  above  Jesus  Christ, 
and  the  latter  is  only  prayed  to  for  his  intercession  with 
the  former  to  perform  a  miracle,  or  to  grant  favours  !  ! 
This  is  the  common  people's  belief;  and  even  if  such 
preposterous  language  be  rejected  and  condemned  by  the 
more  enlightened,  it  nevertheless  shows  the  tendency 
which  saint-worship  and  images  have  to  make  the  greater 
part  of  the  people  really  and  truly  idolaters.  Its  being 
80  glaringly  blasphemous,  is  the  reason  why  it  is  rejected, 
at  least  in  part,  by  the  enlightened  part  of  the  citizens  ; 
but  I  am  much  mistaken,  if  they  do  not  worship  and 
adore  the  golden  image  of  their  saint,*  though  in  another 
way,  and  in  different  word;?,  with  more  confidence  and 
devotion,  than  they  approach  in  prayer  the  Lord  and 
giver  of  life  ;  so  that  these  also  justly  come  under  the 
hateful  and  anti-christian  name  of  "  Idolaters." 


•  The  image  of  St.  Januarius,  as  it  stands  in  the  cathedral  church 
of  Naples,  is  of  solid  silver,  washed  over  with  gold.  The  head  and 
face  are  wholly  of  the  latter  metal.  The  Neapolitan  Lazaroni,  when 
they  pray  before  this  image,  address  it  with  the  greatest  freedom,  and 
ask  its  aid  in  being  able  to  escape  detection  from  some  crime,  which 
they  propose  committing.  They  generally  call  this  saint  by  the 
familiar  title  of  "faccia  gialliccia,"  or  yellow  face,  (his  face  being  of 
gold,)  and  promise  him  so  many  wax  candles,  if  they  succeed  in 
their  undertaking.  If  they  do  not  succeed,  they  threaten  to  pull  his 
beard,  which,  by  the  way,  is  also  of  gold. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  173 

It  is  remarkable  that  all  false  religions  have  the  worship 
of  images,  more  or  less,  imbodied  among  their  other  er- 
roneous notions  of  the  adoration  due  to  the  Supi'eme 
Being.  The  early  history  of  all  ages,  and  of  all  people, 
fully  proves  the  truth  of  this  observation.  From  the 
unpolished  and  uncivilized  South  Sea  savages,  to  the 
cultivated  and  polite  Greeks  and  Romans,  not  less  the 
fathers  of  the  arts  and  sciences  than  the  Chaldeans, 
Phoenicians,  and  Egyptians  themselves ;  for  the  former 
improved  and  perfected  what  the  latter  handed  down  to 
them  ;  all  and  every  one  of  these  nations  went  after  and 
adored  gods  made  with  their  own  hands  ;  idolatry  being 
a  religion  more  adapted  to  the  bent  which  men  have 
toward  visible  and  sensible  objects.  Men  want  gods 
who  shall  go  before  them,  and  be  among  them,  because 
God,  who  is  everywhere  in  power,  and  nowhere  in 
appearance,  is  hard  to  be  conceived  without  the  light  of 
divine  illumination.  However  excusable,  then,  these 
may  be  in  their  erroneous  notions  of  the  worship  suited 
to  a  spiritual  and  unseen  God,  because  not  favoured  with 
that  light,  the  modern  Romans  have  only  the  excuse,  that 
they  are  led  by  their  priests  to  imitate  their  pagan  ances- 
tors in  their  love  of  idols  ;  and  who  corrupt  the  word  of 
God,  impiously  corrupt  it,  in  order  to  make  it  speak  in 
favour  of  their  idolatry  ;  or,  when  this  is  impossible,  to 
make  it,  at  least,  pass  over  in  silence  that  abominable 
crime.  For  this  reason  many  texts  of  Scripture  are  tor- 
tured into  a  seqse  quite  different  from  their  real  significa- 
tions, while  others  are  either  left  out  entirely,  or  mutilated, 
as  has  been  done  with  the  second  commandment ;  whereby 
we  are  commanded  neither  to  make  nor  bow  down  to  a 
graven  image,  or  to  the  likeness  of  any  creature.  And 
here  it  may  not  be  deemed  foreign  to  our  subject  to  give 
a  succinct  account  of  the  rise  and  progress  of  image- 
worship  in  the  church  of  Christ,  I  do  it  the  more  will- 
ingly, as  it  will  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  the  horror  and 
detestation  in  which  idolatry  was  held  by  the  primitive 
church,  and  of  the  opposition  it  met  with,  and  the  blood- 
shed it  caused,  before  it  was  finally  established,  and  in- 
grafted on  the  pure  stock  of  genuine  Christianity. 
16* 


174  SIX    YEARS    IN    THK 

It  is  plain  from  the  practice  of  the  primitive  church, 
recorded  by  the  earlier  fathers,  that  Christians,  during 
the  first  three  centuries,  and  the  greater  part  of  the  fourth, 
neither  worshipped  images,  nor  used  them  in  their  wor- 
ship. However,  the  generality  of  popish  divines  main- 
tain that  the  use  and  worship  of  images  are  as  ancient 
as  the  Christian  religion  itself.  To  prove  this,  they 
bring  forward  a  decree,  said  to  have  been  made  in  a 
council  held  by  the  apostles  in  Antioch,  commanding  the 
faithful,  that  they  may  not  err  about  the  object  of  their 
worship,  to  make  images  of  Christ  and  worship  them. 
This  decree  is  mentioned  by  Cardinal  Baronius  in  his 
Ecclesiastical  Annals,  under  the  year  of  our  Lord  102  ; 
but  it  is  strange  that  no  notice  is  taken  of  it  till  seven 
hundred  years  after  the  apostolic  times,  after  the  dispute 
about  images  had  commenced.  The  first  instance  that 
occurs,  in  any  credible  author,  of  images  among  Chris- 
tians, is  that  recorded  by  TertuUian,  (De  Pudicitia,  cap. 
10,)  of  certain  cups,  or  chalices,  on  which  were  repre- 
sented the  parable  of  the  good  shepherd  carrying  the  lost 
sheep  on  his  shoulders  ;  but  this  instance  only  proves 
that  the  church,  at  that  time,  did  not  think  emblematical 
figures  unlawful  ornaments  of  chalices.  Another  instance 
is  taken  from  Eusebius,  (Ecclesiastical  History,  lib.  vii. 
cap.  18,)  who  says,  that  in  his  time,  (he  lived  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  fourth  century,)  there  were  to  be  seen  two 
brass  statues  in  the  city  of  Paneas,  or  Caesarea  Philippi, 
the  one  of  a  woman  on  her  knees,  with  her  arm  stretched 
out,  the  other  of  a  man  over  against  her,  with  his  hand 
extended  to  receive  her.  These  statues  were  said  to  be 
the  images  of  our  Saviour,  and  the  woman  whom  he 
cured  of  an  issue  of  blood.  From  the  foot  of  the  statue 
representing  our  Saviour,  he  relates  that  there  sprung  up 
an  exotic  plant,  which,  as  soon  as  it  grew  to  the  height 
of  touching  the  border  of  his  garment,  was  said  to  cure 
all  sorts  of  distempers.  The  historian,  however,  vouches 
none  of  these  things  ;  nay,  he  supposes,  that  the  woman 
who  erected  this  statue  of  our  Saviour  was  a  pagan,  and. 
ascriben  it  to  a  pagan  custom.  This  supposition  is  very 
reasonable,  for  it  is  very  probable  that  the  woman  who 


MONASTERIES   OF    ITALY,   ETC.  175 

* 

erected  it,  was  herself  afflicted  with  an  issue  of  blood, 
and  hearing  from  some  Christians,  perhaps,  that  the  God 
whom  they  worshipped  formerly  cured  a  woman  afflicted 
with  it,  she  also,  hoping  the  same  effect,  and  imitating 
the  customs  of  paganism,  erected  this  statue  to  conciliate 
the  favour  of  the  Christians'  God.  It  is  highly  impro- 
bable then,  that  the  Christians  would  adore  an  image  set 
up  by  the  superstition  of  a  pagan  woman,  for  though  that 
image  may  even  represent  the  God  of  their  own  worship, 
yet  it  was  always  brass,  or  some  other  matter,  which 
they  abhorred  to  worship.  The  primitive  Christians  ab- 
stained from  the  worship  of  images,  not,  as  the  papists 
pretend,  from  tenderness  to  heathen  idolaters,  but  because 
they  thought  it  unlawful  in  itself  to  make  any  image  of 
the  Deity.  TertuUian,  Clemens  Alexandrinus,  and  Ori- 
gen  were  of  opinion,  that,  by  the  second  commandment, 
painting  and  engraving  were  unlawful  to  a  Christian, 
styling  them  evil  and  wicked  arts.  (Tert.  De  Idolatria, 
cap.  3.  Clem.  Alex.  Admonitiones  ad  Gentes,  p.  41. 
Origen  contra  Celsum,  lib.  vi.  p.  182.) 

The  uses  of  images  in  churches,  as  ornaments,  were 
first  introduced  by  some  Christians  in  Spain,  in  the  be- 
ginning of  the  fourth  century  ;  but  the  practice  was  con- 
demned as  a  dangerous  innovation,  in  a  council  held  at 
Eliberis,  in  305.  The  custom  of  admitting  pictures  of 
saints  and  martyrs  into  churches,  (for  this  was  the  first 
source  of  image-worship,)  was  rare  in  the  end  of  the 
fourth  century,  but  became  common  in  the  fifth.  But 
they  were  still  considered  only  as  ornaments,  and  even 
in  this  view,  as  shall  be  shown  in  the  sequel,  they  met 
with  very  considerable  opposition.  In  the  following 
century,  the  custom  of  thus  adorning  churches  became 
almost  universal,  both  in  the  east  and  west.  Petavius 
expressly  says,  (De  Incarnatione,  lib.  xv.  cap.  14,)  that 
no  statues  were  yet  allowed  in  the  churches,  because 
they  bore  too  near  a  resemblance  to  the  idols  of  the  Gen- 
tiles. Toward  the  close  of  the  fourth  or  beginning  of  the 
fifth  century,  images,  which  were  introduced  by  way  of 
ornament,  and  then  used  as  an  aid  to  devotion,  began  to 
be  actually  worshipped.     However,  it  continued  to  be 


176  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

k 

the  doctrine  of  the  church  in  the  sixth,  and  in  the  begin- 
ning of  the  seventh  centuries,  that  images  were  to  be 
used  only  as  helps  to  devotion,  and  not  as  objects  of 
worship.  The  worship  of  them  was  condemned,  in  the 
strongest  terms,  by  Gregory  the  Great,  as  appears  by 
two  of  his  letters  written  in  601.  From  this  time  to  the 
beginning  of  the  eighth  century,  there  occurs  no  instance 
of  any  worship  given,  or  allowed  to  be  given,  to  images, 
by  any  council  or  assembly  of  bishops  whatever.  But 
they  were  commonly  worshipped  by  the  monks  and 
populace,  in  the  beginning  of  the  eighth  century ;  inso- 
much that,  in  726,  when  Leo,  the  Isaurian,  published 
"his  famous  edict,  image-worship  had  already  spread  into 
all  thb  provinces  subject  to  the  empire. 

Leo's  edict  was  occasioned  by  the  disturbances  which 
broke  out  in  his  rciga  about  the  worship  of  images.  By 
it  he  abrogated,  according  to  some,  the -worship  of  images 
altogether,  and  ordered  all  the  images,  except  that  of 
Christ's  crucifixion,  to  be  removed  from  the  churches ; 
but,  according  to  others,  this  edict  only  prohibited  the 
paying  to  them  any  kind  of  adoration  or  worship.  The 
tumults  excited  by  the  contending  parties  in  favour  and 
against  image-worship,  was  the  cause  of  the  revolution 
which  deprived  Leo's  predecessor,  Bardanes,  of  the  im- 
perial throne  in  713.  The  edict  published  by  Leo  him- 
self, in  726,  which  we  have  mentioned  before,  occasioned 
also  a  civil  war,  which  broke  out  in  the  islands  of  the 
Archipelago,  and  by  the  suggestions  of  the  priests  and 
monks,  ravaged  a  great  part  of  Asia,  and  afterward 
reached  Italy.  The  civil  commotions  and  insurrections 
in  Italy  were  chiefly  promoted  by  the  Roman  pontiffs, 
Gregory  I.  and  II.  Leo  was  excommunicated  ;  and  his 
subjects,  in  the  Italian  provinces,  violated  their  allegiance, 
and  rising  in  arms,  either  massacred  or  banished  all  the 
emperor's  deputies  and  officers.  In  consequence  of  these 
proceedings,  Leo  assembled  a  council  at  Constantinople,  in 
730,  which  degraded  Germanus,  bishop  of  that  city,  who 
was  a  patron  of  images  ;  and  he  ordered  all  the  images 
to  be  publicly  burnt,  and  inflicted  a  variety  of  punish- 
ments upon  such  as  were  attached  to  that  idolatrous  wor- 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC  177 

ship.  Hence  arose  two  factions,  one  of  which  adopted 
the  adoration  and  worship  of  images,  and  on  that  account 
were  called  iconolatrae,  or  image-adorers,  (from  nKt^v,  an 
image,  and  \aTpevti.v,  to  adore  ;)  and  the  other  maintained 
that  such  worship  was  unlawful,  and  that  nothing  was 
more  worthy  of  the  zeal  of  Christians  than  to  demolish 
and  destroy  those  statutes  and  pictures  which  were  the 
occasion  of  this  gross  idolatry,  and  hence  they  were  dis- 
tinguished by  the  title  oi  iconodastx,  or  image-breakers, 
(from  EiKwv,  an  image,  and  KXaartiv,  to  break.)  The  zeal 
of  Gregory  II.,  in  favour  of  image-worship,  was  not  only 
imitated,  but  even  surpassed  by  his  successor,  Gregory 
III.,  in  consequence  of  which  the  Italian  provinces  were 
torn  from  the  Grecian  empire.  Constanline,  called  Co- 
pronymus,  in  764,  convened  a  council  at  Constantinople, 
regarded  by  the  Greeks  as  the  seventh  oecumenical 
council,  which  solemnly  condemned  the  worship  and 
usage  of  images.  Those  who,  notwithstanding  the  decree 
of  the  council,  raised  commotions  in  the  state,  were 
severely  punished,  and  new  laws  were  enacted  to  set 
bounds  to  the  violence  of  monastic  rage.  Leo  IV.,  who 
was  proclaimed  emperor  in  755,  pursued  the  same  mea- 
sures, and  had  recourse  to  the  coercive  influence  of  penal 
laws,  in  order  to  extirpate  idolatry  out  of  the  Christian 
church.  Irene, 'the  wife  of  Leo,  having  poisoned  her 
husband  in  780,  assumed  the  reins  of  empire  during  the 
minority  of  her  son  Constantine  ;  and  in  786,  summoned 
a  council  at  Nice,  in  Bithynia,  known  by  the  name  of  the 
second  Nicene  council,  which  abrogated  the  laws  and 
decrees  passed  by  former  emperors  against  the  new  idol- 
atry, restored  the  worship  of  images,  and  of  the  cross, 
and  denounced  severe  punishments  against  those  who 
maintained  that  God  was  the  only  object  of  religious 
adoration. 

In  this  contest  the  Britons,  Germans,  and  Gauls  were 
of  opinion  that  images  might  be  lawfully  continued  in  the 
churches ;  but  they  considered  the  worship  of  theni  as 
highly  injurious  and  offensive  to  the  Supreme  Being. 
Charlemagne  distinguished  himself  as  a  mediator  in  this 
controversy  ;  he  ordered  four  bpoks  concerning  images  to 


178  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

be  composed,  refuting  the  reasons  urged  by  the  Nicene 
bishops  to  justify  the  worship  of  images,  which  he  sent 
to  Adrian,  the  Roman  pontiff,  in  790,  in  order  to  engage 
him  to  withdraw  his  approbation  of  the  decrees  of  the  last 
council  of  Nice.  Adrian  wrote  an  answer  ;  and  in  794, 
a  council  of  three  hundred  bishops,  assembled  by  Charle- 
magne, at  Frankfort  on  the  Maine,  confirmed  the  opinion 
contained  in  the  four  books,  and  solemnly  condemned  the 
worship  of  images. 

In  the  Greek  church,  after  the  banishment  of  Irene,  the 
controversy  concerning  images  broke  out  anew,  and  was 
carried  on  by  the  contending  parties,  during  the  half  of 
the  ninth  century,  with  various  and  uncertain  success. 
The  Emperor  Nicephorus  appears  upon  the  whole  to  have 
been  an  enemy  to  this  idolatrous  worship.  His  successor, 
Michael  Curopalates,  surnamed  Rhangabe,  patronised  and 
encouraged  it.  But  the  scene  changed  on  the  accession 
of  Leo,  the  Armenian,  to  the  empire,  who  assembled  a 
council  at  Constantinople,  in  812,  and  abolished  the  de- 
crees of  the  Nicene  council.  His  successor,  Michael, 
surnamed  Balbus,  disapproved  of  the  worship  of  images, 
and  his  son  Theophilus,  treated  their  worshippers  with 
great  severity.  However,  the  Empress  Theodora,  after 
his  death,  and  during  the  minority  of  her  son,  assembled 
a  council  at  Constantinople  in  842,  which  reinstated  the 
decrees  of  the  second  Nicene  council,  and  encouraged 
image-worship  by  an  edict.  The  council  held  at  the  same 
place  under  Protius,  in  879,  and  reckoned  by  the  Greeks 
the  eighth  general  council,  confirmed  and  renewed  the 
Nicene  decrees.  In  commemoration  of  this  council,  a 
festival  was  instituted  by  the  superstitious  Greeks,  called 
i\ie  feast  of  orthodoxy,  which  is  continued  to  be  cele- 
brated down  to  our  own  days,  though  very  few  among 
them,  not  even  excepting  the  Greek  priests  themselves, 
know  the  reason  of  its  being  instituted. 

The  Latin  church  of  the  ninth  century  was  generally 
of  opinion  that  images  might  be  allowed  in  the  churches 
for  the  sake  of  ornament,  or  for  exciting  the  devotion  of 
the  people  ;  but  it  absolutely  prohibited  that  any  thing 
like  religious  worship  or  adoration  should  be  paid  to  them. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  179 

The  council  of  Paris,  assembled,  in  824,  by  Louis  the 
Meek,  confirmed  by  a  decree  this  general  opinion  of  the 
western  church  with  regard  to  images  ;  and,  at  the  same 
time,  commanded,  under  pain  of  punishment,  that  Chris- 
tians should  regard  them  in  no  other  light  than  that  of 
church  ornaments :  nevertheless,  the  Gallican  clergy 
began  to  pay  a  kind  of  religious  homage  to  the  images  of 
saints,  and  their  examples  were  followed  by  the  Germans 
and  other  nations.  However,  the  enemies  to  image-wor- 
ship had  still  their  adherents  among  the  Latins  ;  the  most 
eminent  of  whom  was  Claudius,  bishop  of  Turin,  who, 
in  823,  ordered  all  images,  and  even  the  cross,  to  be  cast 
out  of  the  churches,  and  committed  to  the  flames ;  and 
he  wrote  a  treatise,  in  which  he  declared  both  against  the 
use  and  worship  of  them.  He  condemned  relics,  pilgrim- 
ages to  the  Holy  Land,  and  all  voyages  to  the  tombs  of 
saints  ;  and  to  his  writings  and  labours  it  was  owing,  that 
the  city  of  Turin,  and  the  adjacent  country,  was,  for  a 
long  time  after  his  death,  much  less  infected  with  super- 
stition than  the  other  parts  of  Europe.  The  controversy 
concerning  the  sanctity  of  images,  was  again  revive  1  by 
Leo,  bishop  of  Chalcedon,  in  the  eleventh  century,  on 
occasion  of  the  Emperor  Alexius's  converting  the  figures 
of  silver  that  adorned  the  portals  of  the  churches  into 
money,  in  order  to  supply  the  exigencies  of  the  state. 
The  bishop  obstinately  maintained  that  he  had  been 
guilty  of  sacrilege,  and  published  a  treatise,  in  which  he 
affirmed  that  in  these  images  there  resided  an  inherent 
sanctity,  and  that  the  adoration  of  Christians  ought  not  to 
be  confined  to  the  persons  represented  by  these  images, 
but  should  be  extended  to  the  images  themselves.  The  ■ 
emperor  assembled  a  council  at  Constantinople,  which 
determined  that  the  images  of  Christ  and  of  the  saints 
were  to  be  honoured  only  with  a  relative  worship ;  and  that 
the  invocation  and  worship  were  to  be  addressed  to  the 
saints  only,  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  and  on  account  of 
their  relation  to  him  as  their  master.  Leo,  dissatisfied 
with  these  absurd  and  superstitious  decisions,  was  sent 
into  banishment.  Had  he  lived  some  centuries  later,  or 
down  to  our  own  days,  he  would  have  little  cause  to  be 


180  SIX   TEARS   IN    THE 

dissatisfied  ;  for  he  would  find  images  and  pictures  adored 
and  prayed  to,  even  more  than  he  himself  pointed  out  in 
his  treatise ;  and  would  find  his  own  theory  of  their 
inherent  sanctity  fully  practised  upon.  From  this  time 
forward,  image-worship  was  established  both  in  the 
eastern  and  western  churches  without  receiving  any 
opposition,  except  from  the  Albigenses,  Waldenses,  and 
others,  who  were  too  few  in  number  and  too  weak  to 
cause  any  obstacle  to  this  idolatrous  practice,  till  the  middle 
of  the  sixteenth  century,  the  era  of  the  reformation,  when 
it  was  abolished  in  many  parts  of  the  Christian  world. 
It  was  again  confirmed  by  the  Council  of  Trent  about  the 
same  time,  and  is  now  practised  to  an  extent  which  it 
seldom  reached  before,  in  every  part  of  the  globe  where 
popery  prevails. 


CHAPTER  XXI. 

Image-worship  in  the  nineteenth  century  —  Statue  of  St.  Peter  — 
Opinions  as  to  its  identity  with  one  of  the  pagan  divinities  of  ancient 
Rome — Story  illustrating  the  vengeance  which  it  takes  on  those 
who  dishonour  it — Another,  whereby  it  becomes  clear  that  his 
brazen  saintship  has  the  power  of  protecting  his  devout  worship- 
pers — Reflections. 

Having  in  the  foregoing  chapter  given  a  succinct  history 
of  the  rise  and  progress  of  images  and  image-worship, 
according  to  the  views  of  the  best  writers  on  the  subject  ; 
I  shall  in  this  and  some  following  chapters,  endeavour 
to  give  some  account  of  the  practice  of  that  idolatry  on 
the  continent  of  Europe,  and  in  other  places  where 
popery  triumphs. 

There  are  very  few  churches  in  Rome  that  are  not 
distinguished  for  the  possession  of  some  wonderful  and 
miracle-working  image  or  picture.  The  prayers,  and 
consequently  the  offeringis  presented  at  the  shrine  of 
those  idols,  are  the  sources  of  great  emoluments  to  the 
priests  attached  to  their  service,  and  therefore  the  latter 
use  all  the  means  in  their  power  to  cherish  and  excite 
the  popular  devotion  toward  them.     To  begin  with  St. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  181 

Peter's  ;  that  splendid  edifice,  so  renowned  through  the 
whole  civilized  world  for  the  beauty  of  its  architecture, 
and  for  the  other  stupendous  master-pieces  of  the  arts 
with  which  it  is  adorned  ;  its  very  portal,  on  which  are 
represented  in  relievo-figures  the  actions  and  miracles  of 
deified  men,  announces  it,  at  once,  as  a  place  dedicated 
to  idolatrous  worship.  The  visiter  does  not  advance 
more  than  ten  steps  up  its  magnificent  and  awe-inspiring 
aisle,  before  he  must  lament  to  find  a  temple  nominally 
designed  for  the  worship  of  the  true  God,  polluted  by  the 
monstrous  superstitions  of  idolatry.  He  will  observe  the 
bronze  statue  of  St.  Peter,  seated  in  a  chair  of  the  same 
metal,  and  armed  in  the  one  hand  with  the  insignia  of  his 
office — the  keys,  as  being  gate-keeper  of  heaven — while 
with  the  other,  he  seems  in  the  act  of  bestowing  a  bless- 
ing upon  those,  who,  after  having  humbly  adored  him 
upon  their  knees,  are  advancing  to  kiss  his  brazen  foot, 
extended  for  that  purpose.  This  statue,  or  rather  idol, 
placed  on  his  right  hand  side  after  entering  the  church, 
strongly  reminds  the  visiter  of  the  soul-destroying  idolatry 
practised  in  the  church  of  Rome.  Not  far  from  this,  but 
nearer  to  the  door,  he  will  see  another  practical  example 
of  the  system,  by  which  men  are  led  to  place  their  hopes 
of  salvation — not  upon  the  all-atoning  blood  of  Christ — 
but  on  the  inventions  of  their  fellow  men  ;  he  will  ob- 
serve the  vessel  for  holy  water,  guarded  by  two  marble 
angels,  with  wings  expanded,  and  of  exquisite  workman- 
ship, overflowing  with  that  water,  which  (so  teacheth 
the  Roman  church)  freeth  from  venial  sins.*     Thus  is 

*  The  aqua  sanda,  or  the  holy  water,  is  manifestly  another  rem- 
nant of  the  pagan  superstition,  which  is  to  be  found  scattered  through 
the  rites  and  ceremonies  of  the  church  of  Rome.  It  corresponds  with 
the  aqua  lustralis  of  the  ancients,  and  seems  also  to  be  imitated  by 
the  Mahometans,  who,  in  a  copious  shower  of  clear  water,  wash 
themselves  from  their  sins.  The  Mahometan  ablutions  and  the 
popish  sprinklings  are,  then,  reducible  to  one  and  the  same  thing — 
the  obtaining  remission  of  sin.  The  Mahometan  way  is  much  the 
cleaner,  and  therefore  to  be  preferred ;  for  it  at  least  cleanses  the  body, 
whereas  popish  holy  water  is  very  often  suffered  to  remain  in  the 
churches  till  it  gets  into  a  state  of  corruption,  and  thus  becomes 
highly  detrimental  to  the  health  of  the  people.  I  have  often  seen 
a  greenish  slime  upon  it  in  some  churches. 
17 


182  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

the  blood  of  Christ,  that  (alone)  cleanseth  from  all  sin, 
•rendered  invalid  by  the  substitution  of  other  atonements. 

The  idol  statue  of  St.  Peter  is  supposed  to  have  been 
worshipped  by  the  ancient  Romans  under  the  name  of 
Jupiter  Stator ;  and  to  have  been  transformed  into  a  Chris- 
tian saint,*  when  idolatrous  corruption  first  broke  forth  in 
the  Western  churches  ;  which  event  may  be  dated,  as 
we  have  already  seen,  from  the  beginning  of  the  seventh 
century.  It  is  true,  that  there  are  many  opinions  afloat 
respecting  the  original  design  and  title  of  it ;  some  de- 
fending its  identity  with  Jupiter  Stator ;  others  again 
with  Jupiter  Capitolinus  ;  while  not  few  assert,  that  it 
had  been  the  statue  of  the  two-faced  Janus,  and  that  the 
latter's  head  was  knocked  off"  to  make  room  for  the  head 
of  St.  Peter.  All  agree,  however,  that  it  formerly  repre- 
sented a  heathen  god,  and  that  very  little  alteration  was 
made  in  it,  in  order  to  render  it  a  fitting  object  for  Chris- 
tian adoration;  which  adoration  it  never  received  with 
greater  marks  of  devotion  and  respect,  while  in  the 
character  of  a  Jupiter,  than  it  now  receives  in  its  charac- 
ter of  first  pope  and  gate-keeper  of  heaven.  O  happy 
piece  of  brass  !  (the  reader  will  exclaim,)  to  be  thus  raised 
to  divine  honours  !  Thrice  happy  indeed,  if  it  could  feel 
those  honours;  but  unfortunately,  "it  has  eyes,  but  can- 
not see,"  and  "  ears,  but  cannot  hear."  If  it  could  either 
hear  or  see,  it  would  blush  and  be  ashamed  of  seeing 
itself,  a  creature,  adored,  instead  of  God  the  Creator,  and 
would  thus  show  itself  more  modest  than  the  soi-cUsatit 
Vicar  of  Christ,  who  not  only  suffers  himself  to  be 
adored  daily  by  those  whom  his  false  doctrines  have  led 
out  of  the  right  path,  but  even  claims  that  adoration  as 
his  right. 

There  are  many  fables  related  by  monkish  annalists 
concerning  the  power  attributed  to  this  idol,  and  the  many 
favours  obtained  from  its   munificent  hands  by  devout 

*  Pope  seems  to  allude  to  thi^custom  of  converting  the  images' of 
heathen  gods  into  Christian  saints,  in  the  following  verses  : 
"  Till  Peter's  keys  some  christen'd  Jove  adorn, 
And  Pan  to  Moses  lends  his  pagan  horn  ; 
See  graceless  Venus  to  a  virgin  turn'd." 

Bunciad,  Book  III. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  lo3 

worshippers  ;  and  also  concerning  the  punishment  which 
had  been  inflicted  on  those  who  dared,  in  any  way,  tres- 
pass against  its  majesty,  or  use  it  with  irreverence. 

I  shall  mention  one  or  two  stories  of  tliis  kind,  for  the 
purpose  of  exhibiting  the  manner  in  which  image-wor- 
ship is  upheld  in  the  church  of  Rome,  and  the  ridiculous 
fables  that  are  brought  forward  by  its  advocates  in  proof 
of  its  acceptance  with  the  Supreme  Being. 

Many  men,  perhaps  more  than  thirty,  are  daily  em- 
ployed at  St.  Peter's,  whose  duty  it  is  to  keep  the  church 
clean,  and  wipe  the  dust  from  the  altars,  statues,  pictures, 
&c.  One  of  these  men,  in  a  moment  of  gayety,  resolved 
to  have  a  laugh  at  the  worshippers  of  the  brazen  idol,  St. 
Peter.  For  this  purpose,  he  procured  some  grease  and 
lampblack,  and  mixing  them  well  together,  he  watched 
an  opportunity,  when  no  one  was  present,  to  besmear 
with  the  composition  the  foot  of  St.  Peter,  which  is  un- 
usually bright  from  the  number  of  kisses  bestowed  upon 
it  by  the  superstitious  worshippers.  Having  laid  his 
snare,  he  betook  himself  to  another  part  of  the  church, 
where  he  could  observe  those  that  entered  ;  and  who,  as 
is  the  custom,  first  go  to  the  holy  water  vessel,  and  wash 
themselves  with  a  drop  of  the  purificatory  water  from 
their  venial  sins,  after  which  they  advance  to  pay  their 
devoirs  to  St.  Peter,  and  kiss  his  foot.  He  anticipated  no 
small  share  of  amusement  and  food  for  laughter,  in  seeing 
those  who  kissed  the  idol's  foot,  retreating  with  blacken- 
ed lips  and  face  from  their  act  of  devotion.  He  had  not 
remained  long  on  the  watch,  when  a  foreign  bishop,  with 
his  attaches  of  five  or  six  priests,  entered  the  church  ;  and 
after  having  been  freed  from  their  venial  sins  by  a  drop 
of  the  sacred  element,  they,  like  true  papicolists,  advanced 
to  the  adoration  of  St.  Peter.  Having  repeated  a  few 
pater-nosters  on  their  knees  before  the  image,  they  pro- 
ceeded to  kiss  its  foot ;  the  bishop  showing  the  example, 
as  it  was  meet,  he  being  the  first  in  dignity.  He  carried 
oflf,  in  reward  for  his  devotion,  as  may  be  supposed,  no 
small  share  of  the  lampblack,  with  which  it  was  besmear- 
ed ;  and  on  being  imitated  by  his  followers,  they  also  were 
not  left  without  their  share  of  it.     The  plan  succeeded 


184  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

SO  far,  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  wag  that  devised  it.  The 
parties  concerned  were  as  yet  unconscious  of  their  black 
lips  and  faces,  and  continued  their  walk  through  the 
church,  looking  at  the  pictures  and  examining  the  statues. 
They  wondered,  however,  what  was  ridiculous  about 
them,  that  they  excited  the  laughter  of  all  whom  they 
met.  On  looking  in  the  faces  of  each  other,  they  soon 
discovered  how  the  affair  stood,  and  they  themselves 
could  not  refrain  from  laughter,  when  they  saw  the  figure 
which  their  leader,  monseignor  the  bishop,  exhibited 
with  his  blackened  face.  Having  retired  into  one  of  the 
sacristies,  they  obtained  water,  and  with  it  performed 
for  their  faces  what  they  imagined  the  holy  water  had 
done  for  their  souls  a  little  before.  Inquiries  were  made 
for  the  perpetrator  of  the  horrid  deed  ;  but  no  one  could 
be  found  on  whom  suspicion  could  fall;  no  one,  in  fine, 
knew  any  thing  about  it.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  one 
of  the  men  mounted  a  moveable  scaftblding,  made  for 
the  purpose  of  brushing  cobwebs  from  the  ceiling  and 
from  other  elevated  parts  of  the  church,  and  while  in 
the  act  of  performing  his  oflSce,  his  foot  accidentally 
slipped,  and  he  fell  headlong  from  a  height  of  more  than 
twenty  feet.  His  companions  ran  to  his  assistance,  but 
he,  alas  !  was  speechless.  Instead  of  procuring  surgical 
aid,  the  whole  cry  was  for  the  "  holy  oil"  in  order  to 
anoint  him.  While  the  priest  was  anointing  him,  he 
uttered  a  few  indistinct  words,  from  which  the  bystanders 
could  gather  that  he  was  the  person  who  impiously  pro- 
faned the  statue  of  St.  Peter.  The  words  that  he  uttered 
were,  "O  San  Pietro,  sei  vindicato."  (O  Saint  Peter, 
thou  art  revenged.)  In  fact,  the  sufferer  turned  out  to  be 
the  wag  who  had  polluted  St.  Peter's  foot.  Being  carried 
lo  one  of  the  public  hospitals,  he  there  recovered  so  far  as 
to  be  able  to  confess  the  whole  occurrence,  and  to  ac- 
knowledge that  the  accident  which  befell  him  was  a  just 
punishment  for  his  impiety.  He  died  shortlj^  after — 
fortunately  indeed  for  himself,  for  had  he  recovered,  he 
would  have  been  sent  to  the  galleys  for  life.  This  acci- 
dent afforded  a  theme  to  the  monks  and  other  priests  for 
preaching  the  great  power  of  the  idol  statue,  and  the 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  185 

punishment  which  all  those  are  sure  to  meet  with  who 
impiously  commit  any  thing  against  the  honour  and  respect 
due  to  it.  A  pamphlet  was  shortly  after  published  by 
order  of  the  pope,  wherein  were  related  the  miracles  per- 
formed by  the  agency  of  the  brazen  St.  Peter,  and  the 
signal  vengeance,  which,  on  more  occasions  than  one, 
the  latter  had  taken  on  those  that  dishonoured  his  statue. 
A  procession  composed  of  all  the  clergy  in  Rome  was 
made  to  the  image  in  order  to  appease  the  wrath  of  the 
angry  deity — not  God,  but  Peter  or  his  idol — and  many 
days'  indulgences  were  granted  to  all  who  devoutly  salute 
and  kiss  his  brazen  foot  on  entering  the  church.  Thus 
an  accident,  which  may  as  well  have  happened  to  the 
greatest  devotee  in  the  church,  as  to  the  one  who,  through 
levity,  seemingly  dishonoured  the  statue,  was  made  a 
foundation  on  which  to  build  up  new  lying  wonders,  and 
thereby  stir  up  the  people  to  an  increase  of  devotion 
toward  the  wooden  and  brazen  gods  of  popery. 

The  foregoing  story  may  serve  for  an  example  of  the 
punishment  which  St.  Peter  inflicts  upon  those  who 
dare  dishonour  his  image  ;  the  following  will  exemplify 
the  rewards  he  bestows  upon  his  faithful  worshippers. 
A  Roman  lady  of  a  respectable  family,  being  involved  by 
unavoidable  misfortunes  in  gteat  pecuniary  difficulties, 
had  recourse  to  the  brazen  image  of  St.  Peter,  as  her 
last  hope  of  obtaining  wherewith  to  support  her  rank  in 
society,  and  give  her  children  an  education  Suitable  to 
their  birth.  She  was  left  a  widow  with  a  large  family. 
Her  husband  had  died  suddenly,  and  his  property  was 
seized  upon  by  his  creditors.  She  had,  while  living  in 
affluence,  a  very  great  devotion  toward  the  image  of  St. 
Peter,  which  is  worshipped  in  the  church  called  after  his 
name  at  Rome,  and  was  wont  for  a  number  of  years  to 
visit  it  daily,  and  prostrating  herself  before  it,  to  pour 
forth  her  soul  in  prayer  and  thanksgiving.  This 
pious  exercise  she  did  not  discontinue  on  being  plunged 
into  poverty ;  nay,  poverty  had  quite  a  contrary  effect 
upon  her,  for  it  only  made  her  more  urgent  in  her  pray- 
ers, and  excited  her  to  cast  her  afflictions  at  the  feet  of 
the  blessed  apostle,  and  confidently  demand  his  assist- 
17* 


186  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

ance.  The  greater  number  of  her  children  were  females, 
(the  legend  does  not  say  how  many  they  were  in  all,) 
two  of  whom  were  now  marriageable,  and  although  of 
handsome  persons,  they  were  nevertheless  unable  to  find 
any  young  men,  their  equals,  who  would  be  willing  to 
take  them  as  wives,  on  account  of  their  want  of  fortune. 
One  of  them  was  sought  in  marriage  by  a  rich  man,  who, 
upon  discovering  her  want  of  dowry,  withdrew  his  suit. 
This  was  most  painful  to  the  afflicted  mother,  who  had 
no  other  way  to  assuage  her  grief,  than  to  proceed,  as 
usual,  to  St.  Peter's,  and  recommend  herself  and  family 
to  the  protection  of  the  prince  of  the  apostles.  The 
blessed  apostle,  compassionating  the  poor  woman's  afflic- 
tion, and  being,  moreover,  well  pleased*  with  the  heart- 
felt devotion  she  exhibited  toward  himself,  resolved  to 
mitigate  her  sufferings,  and  present  her  with  the  means 
of  portioning  her  daughters.  For  this  purpose,  he  ap- 
peared to  her  a  dream,  and  commanded  her  to  approach 
the  throne  of  his  successor  in  the  government  of  the 
Christian  church,  and  lay  open  to  him  her  difficulties, 
adding,  that  he  himself  would  prepare  the  mind  of  the 
vicar  of  Christ  for  her  reception.  She,  upon  awaking 
from  sleep,  recollected  the  dream,  but  imagining  it  to  be 
a  delusion  of  the  imagination,  neglected  to  perform  what 
she  was  commanded.  On  returning  to  the  church  the 
following  day,  she  cast  herself,  as  she  was  accustomed 
to  do,  on  her  knees  before  the  image  of  St.  Peter,  and 
renewed  her  former  supplications.  The  apostle  appear- 
ed to  her  again,  while  in  an  ecstasy  on  her  knees,  and 
chided  her  for  not  obeying  his  commands.  She  con- 
sidered this  second  vision,  as  well  as  the  first,  a  delusion; 
and  accordingly  treated  it  as  such.     In  fine,  St.  Peter 

*  This  will  bring  to  the  reader's  memory  the  description  of  sa- 
crifices offered  up  to  appease  the  wrath  of  an  offended  heathen  god. 
The  description  of  such  sacrifices  are  frequently  to  be  met  with  ia 
the  ancient  Greek  and  Latin  poets.  The  god  in  whose  honour  th  =7 
are  performed  is  represented  "  well  pleased"  with  the  odour  of  t'.:e 
burnt-offerings.  The  modern  god  Peter  is  represented  by  his  de- 
votees well  pleased  with  the  prayers  offered  up  to  himself;  without 
considering,  how  much  such  prayers  derogate  from  the  honour  due 
to  the  only  true  God. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  187 

appeared  to  her  the  third  time,  (there  is  some  great  virtue 
attached  to  the  number  "/Aree,"  by  popular  superstition,) 
and  with  an  angry  countenance  commanded  her  to  pro- 
ceed forthwith  to  his  successor,  the  reigning  pope,  and 
ask  from  him  in  his  (St.  Peter's)  name,  for  as  much  as 
might  be  sufficient  for  the  decent  maintenance  of  herself 
and  family.  She  now  resisted  no  longer  ;  and  immediate- 
ly set  about  obtaining  access  to  the  throne  of  his  holiness  ; 
being  confident,  that  the  communication  made  to  her  was 
not  a  delusion  of  the  imagination,  but  had  its  foundation 
in  truth.  On  obtaining  an  audience,  and  after  going 
through  the  usual  ceremonies  practised  by  all  who  ap- 
proach the  presence  of  the  vicar  of  Christ,  (such  as  kiss- 
ing the  slipper,  falling  upon  the  knees,  &c.)  she  related 
the  visions  with  which  she  had  been  favoured  by  the 
prince  of  the  apostles ;  and  how  he  had  commanded  her 
to  lay  her  necessities  and  troubles  before  him,  his  suc- 
cessor in  the  government  of  the  church.  The  holy  father 
(thus  the  pope  is  styled)  listened  to  her  with  kindness 
and  attention;  and  after  she  had  concluded  her  address, 
told  her  that  he  himself  had  also  been  visited  by  St. 
Peter,  who  exhorted  him  to  receive  with  kindness  a  poor 
widow,  who  would  in  a  short  time  present  herself  before 
him.  He  then  related  his  own  vision  to  the  surrounding 
attendants,  all  of  whom  fell  on  their  knees,  and  adored 
the  holy  representative  of  Christ,  who  was  thus  manifest- 
ly guided  in  his  actions  by  the  influence  of  the  Holy 
Spirit.  He  exhorted  the  holy  widow  to  persevere  in  her 
devotion  toward  the  image  of  St.  Peter,  and  promised  to 
provide  from  the  public  treasury  for  herself  and  her 
children.  This  promise  was  fulfilled  a  short  time  after- 
ward ;  an  annuity  was  settled  upon  the  widow  by  com- 
mand of  his  holiness,  and  her  children  were  provided  for 
in  different  ways  ;  some  being  established  in  the  married 
state,  and  others  dedicated  to  the  service  of  the  church, 
in  which  they  became  useful  members,  through  the 
powerful  protection  of  their  patron,  the  brazen  idol  of  St. 
Peter.  Thus  (continues  the  annalist)  was  this  pious 
widow  and  her  family  relieved  from  poverty  and  distress 
by  the  favour  of  the  blessed  apostle,  who  took  that  method 


188  SIX   YEARS  IN   THE 

to  reward  those  who  were  devoted  to  his  worship.  By 
her  example,  all  should  be  excited  to  a  firm  reliance  upon 
his  power  and  goodness,  and  to  a  heartfelt  adoration  of 
his  sacred  image. 

By  such  absurd  and  ridiculous  tales  as  these  related,  is 
the  popular  superstition  kept  alive,  and  the  minds  of  the 
people  imbued  with  the  soul-killing  system  of  idolatry, 
which  Rome  teaches  her  followers  in  lieu  of  the  life- 
giving  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  By  giving  credence  to 
the  lying  wonders  and  nonsensical  inventions  of  monks, 
and  other  self-interested  men,  they  are  led  to  place  their 
hopes,  not  only  of  temporal  blessings,  but  also  of  ever- 
lasting salvation,  on  the  intercession  and  protection  of 
the  saint,  whose  image  they  worship  with  peculiar  devo- 
tion, and  not  on  the  providential  care  of  God,  and  the 
all-sufficient  atonement  of  his  Son.  Indeed,  so  deluded 
do  the  people  become  by  the  incessant  repetition  of  such 
tales  by  their  priests,  in  the  confessional,  pulpit,  and  pri- 
vate conversations,  that  they  almost  lose  all  forms  of 
Christian  worship,  and  give  themselves  up  entirely  to 
the  worship  of  the  fictitious  gods  of  brass  and  woo*d. 
Among  the  uneducated  peasantry,  especially,  fables  of 
this  kind  gain  the  greatest  credence.  Nothing  is  talked  of  in 
their  meetings  and  conversations  with  each  other,  but  the 
favours  bestowed  on  some  of  their  neighbours  at  the  in- 
tercession of  Saint  Such-a-one,  whose  image  is  worship- 
ped in  such  a  place.  If  their  sheep  should  be  infected 
with  the  rot,  or  their  vineyards  destroyed  by  hail,  do 
they,  perhaps,  recur  to  Him  who  alone  can  effectually 
assist  them  ?  No,  indeed,  for  this  would  be  too  much 
like  Christianity.  By  the  advice  of  the  priest,  masses 
must  be  celebrated  and  candles  offered  at  the  shrine  of 
some  saint,  in  order  to  appease  the  anger  of  the  god  who 
inhabits  it. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  189 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Images  of  the  Virgin  Mary — La  Santa  Casa  di  Loretto — History 
of  the  Holy  House — Income  of  the  priests  attached  to  it — Sale  of 
vermin — The  miraculous  image  of  the  Virgin  Mary  at  Basil — Ex- 
pedient of  the  priests  for  reviving  the  dying  superstition — Letter 
of  the  Virgin  Mary  to  a  reformed  clergj'man — Notes  explanatory 
of  the  foregoing  letter — Late  repentance — Litany  of  the  Virgin — 
St.  Peter,  gate-keeper  of  heaven — Gulielmus — George — St.  An- 
thony, protector  of  swine — Different  offices  assigned  to  the  crowd 
of  saints  in  the  popish  calendar—  -Reflections. 

Were  I  to  make  separate  mention  of  half  the  wonder- 
ful images  which  are  scattered  up  and  down  through  the 
different  churches  of  Italy,  I  should  be  obliged  to  trans- 
gress the  limits  laid  down  for  this  work  :  indeed,  a  simple 
catalogue  of  their  names  alone  would  fill  a  good-sized 
volume.     I  shall,  therefore,  not  to  tire  the  reader,  con- 
fine myself  to  a  few  of  the  more  remarkable,  passing 
over  in  silence  those  of  less  note.     Of  the  former  class, 
wherever   they  are   to  be  found,  whether  at  Rome  or 
Turin,  Milan  or  Naples,  the  images  of  the  Madonna  are 
always  held  in  the  greatest  estimation,  and  innumerable 
miracles  are  said  to  be  performed  in  favour  of  those  who 
devoutly  pray  before  them.     The  Madonna  answers  in 
every  respect  to  a  heathen   goddess,  and   perhaps   the 
worship  paid  to  her  different  pictures  and  statues  is  more 
revolting  than  that  paid  to  the  celebrated  image  of  the 
Ephesian    Diana.      Her   statues    and    pictures    are   so 
numerous,  that,  had  she  the  power  of  animating  one- 
fourth  of  them,  she  could  justly  be  said  to  have  acquired 
in  some  degree  the  attribute  of  ubiquity,  if  not  in  her 
own  person,  at  least  in  that  of  the  various  statues  and 
pictures  by  which  she  is  represented.     Some  of  these, 
but  especially  the   pictures,  are   master-pieces   of  art ; 
while  others,  on  the  contrary,  do  not  in  any  way  flatter 
the  Virgin  for  her  personal  beauty.    They  are,  however, . 
generally  of  the  former  class ;  some  countenances  being 


190  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

80  exquisitely  beautiful  that  they  probably  gave  rise  to 
the  well  known  verses  of  a  late  poet,  who,  when  relating 
the  early  education  of  his  Spanish  hero,  represents  him  as 

Turning  from  martyrs  and  hermits  hairy, 
To  the  sweet  pictures  of  the  Virgin  Mary. 

Pictures  and  images  of  the  Madonna  are  placed  in  the 
principal  streets  of  Rome  and  other  cities,  to  which  are 
affixed  lamps,  kept  burning  all  night  in  honour  of  the 
goddess.  Indulgences  are  granted  to  all  who  bow  down 
before  them,  and  repeat  a  few  Pater-nosters  and  Ave 
Marias  in  their  honour.  A  tablet  is  always  attached  to 
the  frame,  or  to  some  other  part  of  the  picture,  on  which 
is  written  its  history,  the  manner  it  was  discovered, 
and  the  numerous  favours  obtained  at  its  intercession. 
Some  are  related  to  have  been  sent  down  from  heaven  ; 
others,  to  have  fled  of  their  own  accord  from  the  hands 
of  Turks,  or  other  infidels  ;  others,  to  have  moved  the 
head  or  eyes  ;  in  fine,^  there  is  no  picture  of  the  Ma- 
donna to  which  popular  superstition  does  not  attribute 
some  miracle  or  other.  The  number  of  days'  or  years' 
indulgences  to  be  obtained  for  the  trouble  of  repeating  a 
"Pater-noster"  and  "Ave  Maria,"  is  then  related,  followed 
by  the  signature  and  seal  of  the  pope  or  bishop  by  whom 
such  indulgences  have  been  granted.  The  usual  form 
of  these  grants  is  conceived  in  words  of  the  following 
import,  either  in  Latin  or  Italian,  but  more  frequently  in 

the  latter  language  :— ^Monseignor  N ,,or  Sua  Santita 

N ,  concede  un  anno,  d'indulgenza  a  tutti  li  fedeli, 

per  ogni  volta,  che  divotamente  recitano  "  un  Pater-noster 
ed  un  Ave  Maria,"  avanti  questa  sacra  imagine  di  Maria 

santissima.     (The   Most  Reverend   Bishop   N ,   or 

His  Holiness  N ,  grants  one  year's  indulgence  to  all 

the  faithful  for  every  time  they  devoutly  repeat  "■the 
Lord's  prayer,  and  the  hail  Mary,''  before  this  sacred 
image  of  the  most  holy  Mary.) 

The  image  of  the  Virgin,  to  which  all  her  other 
images  yield  the  palm,  is  that  worshipped  at  Loretto,  an 
insignificant  village  in  the  pope's  states.  This  image  is 
preserved  in  the  "  Santa  Casa,"  or  Holy  House,  which 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC  191 

tradition  reports-^— and  the  pope  has  sealed  such  a  report 
with  his  infallible  authority,  so  as  to  make  it  an  article 
of  faith,  and  therefore  essential  to  the  salvation  of  man — 
to  have  been  transported  by  angels  from  Nazareth  to 
Dalmatia,  and  thence  to  the  papal  states,  where  it  now 
remains.  In  a' book,  expressly  designed  for  instructing 
in  the  miracles  and  history  of  the  Holy  House,  the  pil- 
grims who  come  in  crowds  from  all  parts  of  Italy,  and 
other  countries,  in  order  to  pay  their  devoirs  to  the  Vir- 
gin, there  may  be  found  the  following  narrative  of  the 
manner  in  which  the  papal  states  obtained  possession  of 
this  miraculous  house,  and  of  the  equally  miraculous 
image  and  relics  which  are  preserved  in  it  for  the  adora- 
tion of  the  faitihful.  This  book  is  called  "  La  storia  della 
casa  miracolosa  della  Vergine  Maria  Lauretana,"  (The 
history  of  the  miraculous  house  of  the  Virgin  Mary  of 
Loretto.)  printed  at  the  Vatican  press,  and  approved  by 
the  "  Master  of  the  sacred  apostolic  palace," — colla  ap- 
provazione  della  sacra  aula  apostolica.  Hence  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  that  the  monstrous  lies  which  are  imbodied 
in  it  are  sanctioned  by  the  authority  of  the  infallible 
church,  and  of  its  equally  infallible  head,  the  pope.  It 
begins  with  the  bull  of  Pope  Somebody,  confirming  its 
contents,  and  anathematizing,  as  usual,  all  who  would 
call  in  question  the  truth  of  any  thing  related  in  it.  It 
then  goes  on  to  inform  its  reader  that  the  Holy  House 
was  built  in  Nazareth  of  Galilee  by  Joachim,  the  father 
of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  that,  at  his  death,  he  bequeathed 
it  to  his  beloved  daughter,  the  mother  of  Christ.  That 
Jesus  was  educated,  and  lived  in  this  same  house  for 
twelve  years,  and  assisted  Joseph,  his  mother's  husband, 
who  exercised  the  trade  of  a  carpenter  under  its  roof. 
After  the  death  of  Mary — who,  by-the-way,  is  believed 
to  have  been  taken  alive  into  heaven,  by  what  authority, 
I  never  could  learn — the  house  continued  in  the  posses- 
sion of  her  nearest  in  kindred  till  the  time  of  Titus 
Vespasian,  who,  with  his  conquering  army,  devastated 
Galilee,  and  razed  the  town  of  Nazareth  to  the  ground. 
The  Holy  House  was  at  this  time  protected  by  a  corps 
of  angels,  sent  down  from  heaven  to  guard  it,  so  that 


192  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

Titus  could  not  remove  one  single  stone,  or  cause  any 
damage  to  it.  It  remained  quietly  in  Nazareth  till  the 
year  1291,  when,  Galilee  tailing  into  the  hands  of  the 
infidels,  and  every- Christian  being  put  to  the  sword,  the 
Holy  House  thought  it  full  time  to  consult  for  its  own 
preservation.  It,  accordingly,  commanded  its  angel- 
guards  to  lift  it  from  its  foundations  and  transfer  it  to 
some  Christian  country.  The  angels,  obedient  to  the 
commands,  immediately  complied,  and  bare  it  through 
the  air  into  Dalmatia.  There  it  remained  for  three  years, 
when,  taking  offence  at  the  irreverence  with  M'hich  it 
was  treated  by  the  inhabitants,  it  again  emigrated,  and, 
by  the  same  agency  as  on  the  former  occasion,  it  was  set 
down  in  a  wood  convenient  to  the  town  of  Recanati,  in 
the  papal  state.  The  trees  bowed  down  to  the  ground 
at  its  approach,  and  thus  remained  in  reverence  during 
the  eight  months  it  remained  in  their  neighbourhood. 
But  being  of  a  migratory  disposition,  and  unwilling  to 
bear  the  seclusion  in  which  it  was  held  by  being  stationed 
in  the  middle  of  a  thick  forest,  it  again  took  flight,  and 
established  itself  contentedly  at  Loretto,  where  it  now 
remains.  Nor  is  it  likely  that  it  will  soon  leave  the  lat- 
ter place,  for  it  is  imprisoned  in  a  magnificent  church, 
built  designedly  for  that  purpose.  "  Thus,"  (says  this 
veracious  history,)  "  has  God  vouchsafed  to  grant  to 
the  country,  wherein  he  established  the  chief  seat  of 
his  religion,  a  convincing  proof  of  the  estimation  in 
which  that  country  is  held  by  him;  and  a  sure  refuge 
in  the  hour  of  peril  to  those  who  flee  for  protection  under 
the  wings  of  the  mother  of  his  Son — soito  Vale  della 
madre  del  suo  Jiglio.'" 

This  image,  to  which  so  many  miracles  are  attributed, 
and  before  which  so  many  disgusting  scenes  of  worse 
than  pagan,  idolatry  are  daily  practised,  is  black,  and  so 
extremely  ugly,  that  certainly  it  cannot  be  for  its  beauty 
that  it  is  held  in  such  estimation.  It  is  gaudilydressed, 
and  literally  laden  with  magnificent  jewels,  and  other 
precious  articles.  An  infant,  representing  the  child 
Jesus,  is  placed  in  its  arms,  of  the  same  colour  as  the 
mother,  and  also  surrounded  by  a  magnificent  show  of 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  193 

finery.  Devotees  come  from  all  parts  of  Italy  on  pil- 
grimages to  this  shrine,  to  whom  the  dust  of  the  walls, 
the  cobwebs,  nay,  even  the  very  spiders,  are  sold  at  ex- 
traordinary prices;  for  the  image  and  house  are  not 
only  holy  themselves,  but  also  give  holiness  to  whatever 
is  touched  by  them.  I  have  seen  myself,  on  visiting 
Loretto  about  four  years  ago,  a  pebble  taken  from  the 
walls  of  the  Santa  Casa,  sold  for  ten  Roman  scudi,  or 
dollars,  and  an  unfortunate  mouse,  that  was  found  con- 
cealing itself  among  the  folds  of  the  Virgin's  dress,  sold 
for  as  much  as  would  buy  a  good  ox.  This  mouse  was 
embalmed  by  the  gentleman  who  bought  it, — a  Piedmont- 
ese  pilgrim, — and  enclosed  in  a  silver  box,  to  be  kept  by 
him  and  his  posterity  as  a  certain  and  infallible  remedy 
against  all  diseases  and  accidents.  But,  about  relics, 
more  in  the  sequel. 

Every  mass  celebrated  within  the  Santa  Casa  is  paid 
for  at  the  most  extraordinary  price.  I  have  been  assured 
by  the  keepers  of  the  house,  who  were  monks  of  my  own 
order — Capuchins ;  that  between  masses  and  lands,  and 
the  gifts  of  the  pilgrims,  the  annual  income  of  the  church 
at  Loretto  amounts  to  more  than  50,000  dollars.  The 
French  army,  while  in  Italy,  took  the  liberty  of  depriving 
the  Madonna  of  the  greater  part  of  her  treasure,  having 
pillaged  the  church  of  whatever  things  of  value  they  could 
lay  hands  upon.  The  chest,  in  which  were  preserved 
some  valuable  gems,  was  secreted  by  one  of  the  old 
priests,  and  by  him  restored  after  the  French  evacuated  '' 
Italy.  This  act  of  honesty  is  really  worthy  of  praise,  if 
it  were  done  through  an  unwillingness  to  keep  what  did 
not  belong  to  him  ;  but  it  is  very  probable,  that  his  virtue 
would  hardly  resist  the  temptation,  had  the  gems  belonged 
to  any  less  powerful  personage  than  the  Madonna,  and  I 
am,  therefore,  inclined  to  think,  that  superstition  had  a 
greater  influence  on  his  mind  than  natural  honesty.  Be 
that  as  it  may,  it  is  certain  that  the  gems  saved  from  the 
French  soldiery  were  returned,  and  are  now  used  for  de- 
corating the  person  of  her  smutty  majesty,  the  queen  of 
heaven.  There  is  a  dean  and  chapter  attached  to  the 
church  of  Loretto,  whose  duty  it  is  to  recite  daily  the 
18 


194  SIX   YEARS   IN    THE 

office  of  the  Madonna,  and  of  some  other  saints,  for  which 
they  receive  a  princely  salary.  Twelve  Capuchins  are 
also  of  the  goddess'  household,  and  these  have  the  care  of 
the  holy  house,  as  it  would  be  deemed  a  mortal  sin,  and 
to  be  atoned  for  only  by  death,  if  any  one  less  than  a  priest 
dared  to  enter  the  presence  of  the  queen.  To  them,  there- 
fore, it  belongs  to  sweep  and  clean  the  holy  house,  and 
to  collect  the  sanctified  dust,  the  insects,  vermin,  and  all 
other  things,  of  no  value  in  themselves,  but  of  the  great- 
est, when  touched,  either  designedly  or  accidentally,  by 
the  garments  or  any  other  thing  belonging  to  the  Holy 
Virgin.  Nor  is  this  all,  the  things  touched  by  the  image 
have  also  received  the  power  of  sanctifying  other  things 
in  turn  ;  but  the  latter  are  esteemed  of  minor  efficacy  than 
the  former,  and  therefore  are  not  so  much  sought  after. 
The  Capuchins  are  paid  so  much  annually  for  their  ser- 
vices, as  domestics  of  the  Virgin — I  believe  500  dollars 
each ;  and  have  also  no  small  emolument  from  the  sale 
of  the  sweepings  which  they  collect,  and  which,  or  rather 
the  money  obtained  for  them  from  idiotical  pilgrims,  they 
are  obliged  to  divide  fairly  with  the  other  persons  belong- 
ing to  her  majesty's  suit.  Thus  the  Italian  proverb 
'<  vendere  lucciole  per.lanterne" — to  sell  fire-flies  for  lan- 
terns, is  literally  acted  upon  by  those  deceivers  of  the  souls 
of  their  fellow  creatures. 

A  relation  of  the  many  fables  and  pseudo-miracles 
which  are  propagated  by  the  priests  and  monks  attached 
to  the  service  of  the  Lauretan  goddess,  would  be  found  quite 
uninteresting  to  the  reader.  I  shall,  therefore,  pass  them 
over  in  silence,  only  remarking,  that  they  are  so  numerous 
as  to  fill  five  ponderous  folio-volumes,  entitled,  in  Latin, 
"  Flores  et  Miracula  Virgines  Mari^e  Lauretanae  :" — (The 
flowers  and  miracles  of  the  Virgin  Mary  of  Loretto  ;)  and 
so  ridiculous  and  glaringly  false  as  to  make  the  most 
zealous  advocates  of  popery  blush  for  the  honour  and  ve- 
racity of  their  infallible  church  ; — and  this  is  saying  a 
great  deal,  for  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  make  either  popish 
divines  or  popish  annalists  blush  through  consciousness 
of  having  committed  to  writing  a  monstrous  farrago  of 
lies,  especially  when  they  are  aware  that  such  falsehoods 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  195 

were  fabricated  for  "  the  good  of  the  church,"  and  that, 
therefore,  the  end  always  excuses  the  means. 

There  existed  a  famous  miracle-working  image  of  the 
Madonna  in  the  city  of  Basil,  before  the  reformation. 
This  image  was  of  stone,  and  drew  pilgrims  from  all  parts 
of  Italy  and  France  to  its  shrine,  whence  the  priests, 
attached  to  its  service,  derived  great  emoluments.  Upon 
the  breaking  out  of  the  reformation  in  Germany,  and 
when  the  people  began  to  be  instructed  in  the  pure  reli- 
gion of  Christ,  pilgrimages  to  the  shrine  of  this  idol  became 
every  day  less  frequent,  and  as  gospel  light  made  greater 
progress,  they  were  discontinued  altogether.  This  was 
severely  felt  by  the  priests,  who,  in  order  to  make  a  last 
struggle  for  the  revival  of  the  nearly  extinct  superstition, 
thought  upon  an  expedient,  by  which  they  hoped  to 
recover  in  part  their  unhallowed  gains.  Ridiculous  as  it 
may  seem,  this  was  no  other  than  to  forge  a  letter  ad- 
dressed to  the  people  of  Basil,  which  they  gave  out  to  be 
written  in  heaven  by  the  Virgin  Mary  herself,  and  brought 
by  angels  who  placed  it  at  the  foot  of  her  statue,  where  it 
was  found  by  a  pious  priest,  devoted  to  the  worship  of 
the  marble  virgin.  In  this  letter  she  chides  the  people 
for  their  want  of  devotion  toward  her  image,  and,  like 
another  offended  Diana,  threatens  them  with  heavy  chas- 
tisement, unless  they  immediately  make  reparation  to  her 
insulted  deity.  Erasmus  has  founded  his  letter  of  the 
Virgin,  written  also  in  heaven,  to  a  Lutheran  minister  of 
the  15th  century,  on  this  forgery  of  the  priests  of  Basil. 
He  wittily  ridicules  the  prevailing  superstition  of  that 
period,  and  makes  the  Virgin  say,  what  very  probably 
she  Avould  say,  had  she  been  able  to  hear  the  blasphemous 
prayers  and  vows  offered  up  at  her  shrines  by  the  de- 
luded victims  of  popish  errors.  It  may  not  be  thought 
superfluous  to  give  the  letter  entire,  as  it  exists  in  the 
colloquy  called  "  peregrinatio  religionis  ergo,"  (wander- 
ing through  religious  motives.)  It  is  addressed  under  a 
fictitious  name  to  some  zealous  reformed  clergyman  of 
that  period,  and  is  feigned  to  have  been  found  by  him  in 
the  pulpit,  on  his  ascending  it  to  address  his  congregation  : 
"  Mary,  the  mother  of  Jesus,  to  Glaucoplutus,  health. 


196  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

Because  following  the  doctrines  of  Luther,  you  teach  that 
it  is  useless  to  invoke  the  saints,  know,  that  you  have 
obtained  great  favour  with  me  on  this  account.  For, 
before  your  preaching,  but  little  was  wanting  that  I  was 
not  killed  from  listening  to  the  wicked  petitions  of  man- 
kind. From  me  alone  every  thing  was  demanded,  as  if 
my  son  was  for  ever  to  remain  an  infant,  as  he  is  painted 
in  my  arms ;  and  as  if  he  entirely  depended  upon  my 
will,  and  would  not  dare  deny  any  thing  which  I  might 
be  pleased  to  ask  of  him,  fearing  lest  I,  in  turn,  should 
deny  him  the  breast,  which  he  would  feel  desirous  to 
drink.  Sometimes  these  my  worshippers,  demand  from 
me,  a  virgin,  things  which  a  modest  youth  could  scarcely 
have  the  face  to  ask  from  a  woman  of  ill  fame  ;  things, 
indeed,  which  I  am  ashamed  to  commit  to  Avriting.  The 
merchant  setting  out  for  Spain  recommends  to  my  care 
the  chastity  of  his  concubine.  The  nun,  dedicated  to 
God,  thinking  upon  flying  from  her  nunnery,  and  having 
thrown  aside  her  veil,  leaves  to  my  care  the  fame  of  her 
integrity,  which  she  herself  is  on  the  point  of  prostituting. 
The  impious  soldier,  hired  to  butcher  his  fellow  creatures, 
cries  out  before  me,  '  O  blessed  Virgin,  give  me  a  plenti- 
ful harvest  of  plunder.'  The  gamester  cries  out,  '  Favour 
me,  O  goddess  ;  a  part  of  the  gains  will  be  given  to  you  :' 
and  if  the  game  should  turn  against  him,  he  reproaches 
and  curses  me,  because  I  was  not  propitious  and  favour- 
able to  his  wickedness.  The  harlot,  who  lets  out  her 
body  for  hire,  prays,  '  Give  me  an  abundant  income  ;' 
and  if  I  deny  .her,  then  she  exclaims,  'that  I  am  not  a 
mother  of  mercy.''  The  prayers  of  others  are  not  so 
wicked  as  they  are  foolish.  The  unmarried  girl  exclaims, 
'  Give  me,  O  holy  Mary,  a  handsome  and  rich  husband,' 
The  married,  '  Give  me  handsome  children.'  The  en- 
ceinte, 'Give  me  an  easy  accouchement.''  The  old  woman, 
'  Grant  me  a  long  life,  without  cough  or  thirst.'  The 
childish  old  man,  '  Grant  me  the  power  of  again  becoming 
young.'  The  philosopher  prays  for  the  power  of  form- 
ing incomprehensible  arguments  ;  the  priest  prays  for  a 
rich  benefice  ;  the  bishop,  for  the  protection  of  his  church  ; 
the  sailor,  for  prosperous  voyages  ;  the  courtier,  for  a  sin- 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  197 

cere  confession  of  his  sins  at  the  hour  of  death  ;  (*)  the 
farmer,  for  seasonable  rain ;  the  farmer's  wife,  for  the 
health  and  preservation  of  the  cattle.  If  I  deny  any  of 
these  favours,  immediately  I  am  called  '  a  cruel  woman  ;' 
and  if  I  send  them  to  my  son,  I  am  then  answered,  '  he 
wishes  whatever  you  wish.'  Thus  on  me  alone,  a  wo- 
man and  a  virgin,  is  thrown  the  care  of  sailors,  soldiers, 
merchants,  gamesters,  bachelors,  women  in  travail,  kings, 
and  husbandmen.  But  I  am  now  less  troubled  with  busi- 
ness of  this  kind,  for  which  I  should  have  been  very  thank- 
ful to  you,  had  not  this  advantage  brought  with  it  also 
disadvantages  :  there  is  less  trouble,  but  there  is  also  less 
honour,  and  less  emoluments.  Before  your  preaching, 
I  was  saluted  '  Queen  {^)  of  the  heavens  ;^  '  Mistress  of 
the  world  ;'  now  I  scarcely  hear  from  a  few  worshippers 
'  Hail,  Mary.''  Before,  I  was  clad  in  gems  and  gold ;  I 
had  a  well  supplied  wardrobe ;  rich  gifts  were  offered 
to  me  :  now  I  am  scarcely  covered  with  the  half  of  an  old 
cloak,  and  that  same  gnawed  by  mice ;  while  my  annual 
income  is  scarcely  sufficient  for  the  support  of  one  mise- 
rable priest,  who  might  light  a  little  lamp,  or  a  tallow- 
candle  in  honour  of  me.  But  I  could  even  suffer  these 
things,  degrading  as  they  are,  had  not  even  worse  been  in 
preparation.  You  have  a  design,  people  say,  of  thrusting 
out  of  the  sacred  temples  the  whole  crowd  of  gods ! 
(saints  !)  Beware,  again  and  again  beware  of  what  you  are 
about.  There  are  ncft  wanting  to  the  other  gods  ways 
and  means  of  revenging  the  injuries  committed  against 
their  majesty.  If  Peter  {f)  be  shut  out  of  the  temple,  take 
care  that  he,  in  retaliation,  shut  not  against  you  the  gate 
of  the  heavenly  kingdom.  Paul(*)  has  a  sword,  and 
Bartholomew  (^)  is  armed  with  a  knife  ;  William,  under 
the  habit  of  a  monk,  will  be  found  encased  in  a  heavy 
coat  of  mail,  and  brandishing  a  long  spear. (^)  But  how 
are  you  to  defend  yourself  against  George, (")  a  knight, 
surrounded  with  armed  men,  and  formidable  both  on 
account  of  his  lance  and  sword  ?  Nor  is  Anthony  (^) 
himself  unarmed,  for  he  has  the  sacred  fire.  There  are 
also  their  peculiar  arms  to  the  other  gods,  which  they 
use  in  inflicting  on  their  enemies  sickness,  and  other  mis- 
18* 


198  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

fortunes,  which  cannot  be  cured  without  the  invocation 
of  their  assistance.  (")*  As  for  my  own  part,  you  cer- 
tainly shall  not  thrust  me,  though  unarmed,  from  the 
temple,  unless  you  also  thrust  out  my  son,  whom  I  hold 
in  my  arms.  I  will  not  suffer  myself  to  be  violently 
separated  from  him  ;  for  either  you  must  turn  him  out 
with  me,  or  suffer  both  of  us  to  remain,  unless,  indeed, 
you  choose  rather  a  temple  without  a  Christ.  These 
things  I  wished  to  make  known  to  you ;  do  you  ponder 
what  answer  is  to  be  returned  to  me,  for  I  am  deeply 
interested  in  the  subject.  Dated  from  my  marble  temple, 
on  the  calends  of  August,  in  the  year  of  my  crucified 
son,  1524. 

I,  a  marble  virgin,  have  signed  it  with  my  own  hand. 
Mary-Virgin,  the  Mother  of  Jesus. 

I  subjoin  the  original  Latin,  for  the  satisfaction  of 
those  who  may  feel  desirous  of  seeing  this  curious  epis- 
tle in  its  original  language.  It  is,  like  all  other  of  Eras- 
mus' writings,  written  with  classical  purity,  and  in  a 
style  well  worthy  of  imitation  by  all  lovers  of  pure 
latinity.  It  is,  indeed,  widely  different  from  the  barba- 
risms of  the  greater  part  of  Romish  theologians,  who 
had  not  even  the  merit  of  conveying  their  errors  in  beau- 
tiful language  ;  indeed,  the  whole  merit  of  their  works 
consisted  in  being  incomprehensible. 

Maria  mater  Jesu  Glaucopluto  S.  D.  Quod  Lutherum 
sequutus  strenue  suades,  supervacaneum  esse  invocare 
divos,  a  me  quidem  isto  nomine  bonam  magnamque 
inivisti  gratiam,  scito.  Nam  ante  hoc,  tantum  non 
enecabar  improbis  mortalium  opplorationibus.  Ab  una 
postulabantur  omnia,  quasi  filius  meus  semper  infans 
esset,  quia  talis  fingitur,  pingiturque  in  sinu  meo,  ut  ex 
nutu  matris  adhuc  pendeat,  neque  quidquam  ausit  negare 
petenti,  videlicet  metuens,  ne  si  quid  neget  roganti,  ego 
vicissim  ipsi  negem  mamraam  sitienti.  Et  nonnunquam 
ea  petunt  a  Virgine,  quae  verecundus  juvenis  vix  auderet 
petere  a  lena,  quaeque  me  pudet  litteris  committere.     In- 

•  See  notes  from  (1)  to  (9)  at  the  end  of  this  chapter. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  199 

terim  negotiator  lucri  causa  navigaturus  in  Hispaniam, 
committit  mihi  pudicitiam  suae  concubinae.  Et  virgo  Deo 
sacra,  abjecto  velo  fugam  adornans,  deponit  apud  me 
famam  integritatis  suse,  quam  ipsa  tendit  prostituere. 
Occlamat  mihi  miles  et  ad  laniendam  conductus,  Beata 
Virgo,  da  praedam  opiraam.  Occlamat  aleator,  Fave, 
diva,  pars  lucri  tibi  decidetur.  Et  si  parum  faveat  alea, 
me  conviciis  lacerant,  maleque  precantur,  qua?  non  adfu- 
erim  sceleri,  Occlamat  quae  quaestui  turpi  semet  exponit, 
Da  proventum  uberera.  Si  quid  negem,  illico  reclamant, 
Ergone  sis  mater  misericordiae.  Aliorum  vota  non  tam 
impia  sunt,  quam  inepta.  Clamat  innupta,  Da  mihi  for- 
mosum  ae  divitem  sponsum.  Clamat  nupta.  Da  mihi  bel- 
los  catulos.  Clamat  gravida,  Da  mihi  facilem  partum. 
Clamat  anus  :  Da  diu  vivere  sine  tussi  sitique.  Clamat 
senex  delirus:  Da  repubescere.  Clamat  philosophus: 
Da  nodos  insolubiles  nectere.  Clamat  sacerdos  :  Da 
sacerdotium  opimum.  Clamat  episcopus  :  Serva  meam 
ecclesiam.  Clamat  nauta  :  Da  prosperos  cursus.  Clamat 
aulicus  :  Da  vere  confiteri  in  articulo  mortis.  Clamat 
rusticus  :  Da  tempestivam  pluviara.  Clamat  rustica  : 
Serva  gregem  et  armentum  incolume.  Si  quid  renuo, 
illico  sum  crudelis.  Si  relego  ad  filium,  audio  :  Vult 
ille,  quidquid  tu  vis.  Itane  ego  sola  et  mulier  et  virgo 
dabo  operam  navigantibus,  belligerantibus,  negotiantibus, 
ludentibus  aleam,  nubentibus,  parturientibus,  regibus,  et 
agricolis  ?  Atqui  quod  dixi,  minimum  est  prae  his  quae 
patior.  Sed  his  negotiis  nunc  multo  minus  gravor  :  quo 
quidem  nomine  tibi  gratias  agerem  maximas,  nisi  com- 
modum  hoc  incommodum  majus  secum  traheret :  plus 
est  otii,  sed  minus  est  honorum,  minus  est  opum. 
Antea  salutabar  Regina  ccelorum,  Domini  mundi :  nunc 
vix  a  paucis  audio,  Ave  Maria.  Antea  vestiebar  gemrais 
et  auro,  abundabam  mutatoriis,  deferebantur  aurea  gera- 
meaque  donaria  :  nunc  vix  tegor  dimidiato  palliolo,  eoque 
corroso  a  muribus.  Proventus  autem  annul  vix  tantum, 
ut  alam  miserum  cedituum,  qui  accendat  lucernulam  aut 
candelam  sebaceam.  Atque  haec  tamen  poterant  ferri,  ni 
majora  etiam  moliri  dicereris.  Hue  tendis,  ut  ajunt,  ut 
quidquid  usquam  est  divorura,  exigas  ex  sedibus  sacris. 


200  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

Etiam  atque  etiaiii,  vide  quid  agas.  Non  deest  aliis 
divis  quo  suam  ulciscantur  injuriam.  Ejectus  e  templo 
Petrus,  potest  tibi  vicessim  occludere  regni  ccelestis 
ostium.  Paulus  habet  gladium  ;  Bartholemaeus  cultro 
armatus  est ;  Guilielmus  sub  pallio  monachi  totus  arma- 
tus  est,  non  sine  gravi  lancea.  Quid  autem  agas  cum 
Georgio  et  equite  et  cataphracto,  hasta  simul  et  gladio 
formidabili  ?  Nee  inermis  est  Antonius  ;  habet  secum 
sacrum  ignem.  Sunt  item  et  cseteris  sua  vel  arma,  vel 
mala,  quae,  quibus  volunt,  immittunt.  Me  vero  quan- 
tumvis  inermem,  non  tamen  ejicies,  nisi  simul  ejecto  filio, 
quem  ulnis  teneo.  Ab  hoc  non  me  patiar  divelli :  aut 
hunc  una  mecum  extrudes,  aut  utrumque  relinques,  nisi 
mavis  habere  templum  sine  Christo.  Haec  te  scire  volui : 
tu  cogita,  quid  mihi  respondendum  censeas.  Nam  mihi 
plane  res  cordi  est.  Ex  aede  nostra  lapidea,  calendis 
Augusti,  anno  filii  mei  passi  1524.  Virgo  lapidea  mea 
manu  subscripsi. 

Maria  Virgo  Mater  Jesu. 

(1)  Hour  of  death. — Many  papists  imagine,  that  if  they  be  so 
fortunate  as  to  be  able  to  make  a  true  confession  of  their  sins,  when 
at  the  point  of  death ;  and  if  they  obtain  absolution  from  the  mouth 
of  the  priest,  they  can  have  no  difficulty,  whatever  may  have  been 
their  former  lives,  or  however  sinfully  they  may  have  lived,  of  im- 
mediately entering  heaven,  or  at  least  purgatory.  It  is  distressing  to 
think  on  the  number  of  immortal  souls  lost,  irretrievably  lost  for  all 
eternity,  who  died  trusting  to  this  delusive  hope.  The  pagan  poet 
thought  better  on  this  subject  than  popish  theologians ;  for  he  ex- 
pressly says,  "  late  repentance  is  seldom  true," — perhaps  never — 
"  Paenitentia  sera  raro  vera  est." 

(2)  In  the  litany  of  the  Virgin,  sung  by  immense  numbers  of  her 
devotees,  before  the  images  or  pictures  representing  her  with  the 
child  Jesus  in  her  arms,  she  is  styled,  "  the  queen  of  heaven  ;  the 
refuge  of  sinners ;  the  help  of  Christians ;  morning  star ;  our  only 
hope ;  consoler  of  the  afflicted  ;"  with  many  other  epithets,  all  dero- 
gating from  the  honour  of  God,  and  offensive  to  the  ears  of  those 
who  have  at  heart  the  pure  unadulterated  worship  of  their  Creator. 

(3)  It  has  been  mentioned  before,  that  St.  Peter  is  made  the  gate- 
keeper of  heaven ;  or,  as  a  Frenchmen  would  call  him,  "  le  Suisse." 
He  is  always  painted  with  keys  of  immense  size,  either  suspended 
from  his  girdle,  or  in  his  hands.  St.  Paul  is  also  painted  with  a 
Bword  in  his  hands ;  for  what  reason  I  do  not  know,  unless  it  be 
that  the  sword  was  the  instrument  of  his  martyrdom.     The  apostle 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  201 

Bartholomew  is  represented  holding  a  knife,  in  some  of  his  pictures 
though  in  others  he  is  painted  holding  a  cross,  made  in  the  form  of 
the  letter  X,  on  which  tradition  says  he  suffered  death. 
(4)  and  (5)— See  the  note  (9.) 

(6)  Guilielmus,  or  William,  is  said  to  have  been  a  Roman  knight, 
who  suffered  death  in  one  of  the  early  ages  of  the  church.  He  is 
said  to  have  relinquished  all  his  secular  greatness,  and  to  have  become 
a  monk  in  one  of  the  eremitical  monasteries  of  Egypt.  Being 
brought  before  the  Roman  governor,  he  was  commanded  to  sacrifice 
to  the  idols,  and  upon  refusing,  was  given  over  to  the  executioner. 

(7)  George  was  tribune  of  the  soldiers  (tribunus  militum)  under 
Dioclesian.  Having  refused  to  abjure  the  religion  of  Christ,  he  was, 
by  command  of  that  persecuting  emperor,  given  up  to  be  devoured 
by  wild  beasts.  He  is  made  by  papists  the  special  protector  of  sol- 
diers, on  account,  I  suppose,  of  his  former  profession.  Query.  Is 
he  the  same  with  St.  George,  the  patron  saint  of  England  1 

(8)  St.  Anthony,  the  protector  of  swine  and  swineherds,  is  also 
celebrated  for  the  power  which  he  is  supposed  to  possess  of  curing  a 
cutaneous  disease,  called  after  his  name,  "  St.  Anthony's  Jire."  He 
is  painted  in  the  dress  of  a  monk,  surrounded  with  a  herd  of  swine, 
who  seem  to  regard  their  keeper  with  marks  of  affection,  if  it  be  pos- 
sible that  affection  could  be  portrayed  on  the  face  of  a — pig.  Some 
painters  have  attempted  it,  and  I  have  seen  one  painting  in  a  church, 
dedicated  to  this  saint,  whereui  affection  was  admirably  expressed  on 
the  faces  of  these  self-willed  animals.  He  is  worshipped  with  pecu- 
liar devotion  among  the  mountains  of  Norcia  and  Ascoli,  by  reason 
of  these  mountains  being  planted  with  innumerable  oak  trees,  on  the 
acorns  of  which  the  swine  are  fattened.  The  owners,  in  order  to 
call  down  his  blessing  upon  their  flocks,  build  altars  to  his  honour, 
and  worship  him  in  many  other  extravagant,  as  well  as  unchristian 
ways. 

(9)  Papists,  as  well  as  pagans  of  old,  attribute  a  peculiar  power 
to  each  of  their  saints.  Thus,  different  offices  are  assigned  to  differ- 
ent saints.  One  is  made  the  patron  of  those  who  labour  under  a 
Bore  throat,  as  St.  Blaisius ;  another  of  women  labouring  in  child- 
birth ;  another  of  children,  &c.  The  saints  are  said  to  vindicate 
themselves  on  their  lukewarm  worshippers,  by  sending  down  upon 
them  the  disease  which  they  themselves  have  the  power  of  curing. 
St.  Rocco,  who  is  the  patron  of  those  sick  of  the  plague,  is  also 
thought  to  be  of  service  to  those  labouring  under  the  venereal  dis- 
ease, and  a  story  is  related  of  his  having  miraculously  cured  of  this 
detestable  malady  one  of  his  devout  worshippers.  John  the  Bap- 
tist is  supposed  to  have  the  power  of  afflicting  with  the  falling  sick- 
ness, those  with  whom  he  has  cause  to  be  angry.  Hubert  can  afflict 
his  opponents  with  a  decline,  and  so  on  of  the  other  saints.  Each 
trade  in  Rome  has  its  own  peculiar  saint-protector,  St.  Crispin  is 
made  the  patron  of  shoemakers ;  St.  Luke  of  painters,  because  tradi- 


202  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

tion  relates,  that  he  was  of  that  trade ;  and  there  is  shown  in  the 
church  of  Santa  Maria  Maggiore  at  Rome,  a  picture  of  the  Madonna, 
painted  by  him,  which  is  said  to  have  performed  many  miracles. 
Though  we  learn  from  the  apostolical  epistles  that  he  was  a  physi- 
cian, yet  greater  belief  is  given  to  the  vague  tradition  of  his  having 
been  a  painter,  and  therefore  he  is  made  a  pattern  of  painters,  and 
not  of  physicians — though,  indeed,  the  latter  have  generally  too 
much  good  sense  to  claim  his  protection  for  their  profession,  or  to  be 
angry  of  his  not  being  dubbed  their  patron,  Mary  Magdalen  is  the 
protector  of  harlots,  and  Cecilia  of  singers  and  musicians — and  in 
fine,  every  trade,  every  profession,  every  malady,  and  every  occur- 
rence of  life,  have  each  and  every  one  of  them  their  own  particular 
saint  and  protector,  who  is  worshipped  by  those  interested,  with 
greater  devotion  -than  they  ever  worship  the  one  and  true  God. 
The  reader  will  easily  discern,  from  what  has  been  said  on  this  sub- 
ject, the  great  affinity  there  is  between  popery  and  paganism.  If 
the  pagans  had  their  Mercury,  their  Mars,  their  Apollo,  their  Juno, 
and  their  Venus,  the  papists  have  their  Francis,  their  George,  their 
Christopher,  their  Peter,  their  Cecilia,  their  Mary  Magdalen,  and,  to 
govern  all,  they  have  their  queen  of  heaven — their  Madonna.  But 
I  fear  the  reader  is  long  since  tired  by  the  repetition  of  such  trash, 
and  no  wonder,  for  indeed  I  have  carried  the  subject  farther  than  the 
limits  of  a  note  would  warrant. 


CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Continuation  of  remarks  upon  image-worship — Popish  unity — Ma- 
donna della  lettcra  at  Messina— The  Virgin  Mary  a  linguist-S- 
Copy  of  the  Virgin's  letter  to  the  Messinians — Translation  of  the 
foregoing — Spain,  and  its  idolatries — Spanish  Jesuits — Spanish 
form  of  salutations — Portugal — Don  Miguel  favoured  by  the  priests 
—A  miracle  wrought  in  confirmation  of  his  authority — The  Virgin 
delivered  of  a  boy  twelve  years  old — Effect  of  the  discovery  on  Don 
Miguel's  government — Concluding  remarks  upon  image-worship. 

There  are  other  celebrated  Madonnas  scattered  through 
the  different  churches  of  Italy ;  each  one  of  which  has 
its  own  particular  history,  and  its  own  miracles  attached 
to  it ;  for  popory  is  certainly  one  in  more  senses  than  its 
advocates  imagine,  when  they  take  unity  as  an  argument 
in  favour  of  its  being  the  true  church  of  Christ.  It  is  one 
also  in  its  system  of  imposture.     The  sarfie  arts  are  made 


MONASTERIES    OF   ITALY,    ETC.  203 

use  of,  and  the  same  lies  fabricated  for  its  support,  in  the 
capital  of  Spain,  as  in  the  capital  of  Italy  ;  in  the  city  of 
the  false  prophet,  as  in  the  country  of  Confucius  ;  there 
being  subjects  of  the  pope  both  in  the  one  and  the  other, 
as  we  learn  from  the  relation  of  travellers,  and  as  is  evi- 
dent from  students  of  these  countries  being  educated  at 
the  college  of  the  Propaganda  in  Rome.  Miracles  then, 
and  other  lying  vi^onders,  are  fabricated  on  the  spot  by  the 
acting  ministers  of  popery,  in  every  country  where  it 
exists  ;  and  for  this  reason,  the  idolizing  of  the  Madonna 
being  an  essential  article  of  that  church,  her  images  are 
all  supplied  with  stories  and  miracles  by  the  priests  of  the 
country  where  such  images  are  worshipped;  differing 
very  little,  if  any  at  all,  (for  the  imagination  of  an  inventor 
of  falsehoods  is  with  time  exhausted,)  from  the  miracles 
attributed  to  images  of  the  same,  worshipped  in  very 
distant  parts  of  the  world.  I  shall  relate  a  story  of  one 
more  Italian  Madonna,  venerated  in  the  cathedral  church 
of  Messina  in  Sicily,  and  then  pass  on  to  a  view  of  image- 
worship,  as  practised  in  other  parts  of  Europe. 

As  Naples  has  its  Januarius  to  protect  it  from  thcf 
burning  lava  of  Vesuvius  ;  so  also  has  Messina  its  Ma- 
donna to  protect  it  from  the  like  evil  threatened  to  it  from 
its  vicinity  to  Mongibello,  or  Mount  Etna.  The  Ma- 
donna of  the  Messinians — called  also  "  la  Madonna  della 
lettera" — if  we  believe  the  history  of  it,  as  preserved  in 
the  archives  of  the  cathedral  of  Mqpsina,  was  sent  down 
from  heaven,  and  placed  on  the  altar  where  it  now  stands, 
by  the  hands  of  angels  ;  for  the  especial  protection  of  the 
inhabitants.  The  Virgin  was  well  pleased  with  the  ]Vo- 
venas,  Triduos,  ^c*  performed  in  honour  of  her,  and 
to  manifest  this  pleasure  to  her  faithful  people,  she  thought 
it  advisable  (if  we  can  use  such  a  word,  when  speaking 
of  a  goddess)  to  send  them  her  image  manufactured  in 
heaven,  in  token  of  it — just  as  a  young  woman  makes  a 
present  of  her  portrait  to  her  lover,  in  token  of  her  love. 

•  Novena  and  triduo.  By  such  terms  are  meant  certain  days  set 
apart  for  the  more  particular  warship  of  the  gods  of  popery.  The 
former  is  a  feast  of  nine  days'  continuance,  the  latter  of  three. 


204  SIX    YEABS   IN    THE 

The  image  was  accompanied  by  a  letter  addressed  to  the 
bishop,  clergy,  and  laity  of  the  diocess  of  Messina,  wherein 
she  assures  them  of  her  perpetual  protection  and  favour, 
in  reward  of  their  devotion  toward  her,  and  encourages 
them  to  continue  in  rendering  her  the  honours  due  to 
her,  as  the  ^'^  mother  of  Christ,''''  ^^  gate  of  heaven,'"  and 
^^  consoler  of  the  afflicted:''''  assuring  them  at  the  same 
time,  that  such  honours  paid  to  her  were  most  pleasing 
to  her  son,  Jesus  ;  and  not  in  the  least  displeasing  to  him, 
as  modern  heretics,  jealous  of  her  glory,  would  insinuate. 
This  epistle  is  written  in  Latin,*  and  enclosed  in  a  silver 
case,  whence  it  is  never  taken  out  but  to  satisfy  the 
curiosity  of  some  dignitary  of  the  church  ;  or  of  those 
who  are  able  to  bribe  the  keeper  for  a  more  close  inspec- 
tion of  it.  I  have  myself  had  the  honour  of  kissins;  the 
case,  and  of  humbly  repeating  an  '■'■Jive  Maria"  before  the 
sacred  scrap  of  paper.  With  much  difficulty  I  obtained 
a  copy  of  it,  which  I  have  since  lost ;  but  having  read  it 
so  often,  I  feel  confident  that  I  retain  in  mind  the  form 
and  subject — if  not  the  very  words.  To  the  best  of  my 
recollection,  it  runs  as  follows. 

"  Maria  Virgo,  mundi  Redemptoris  mater,  Episcopo, 
clero,  cseterisque  fidelibus  inclytae  civitatis  Messanensis 
salutem  et  benedictionem  a  se,  suoque  filio  impertit. 

"  Quod  meo  cultui  consulere  in  mentem  vobis  ventum 
est,  magnum  favorem  apud  me  propter  hoc  inveniisti, 
scitote.  Jam])ridem'%itum  periculis  plenum  vestrae  civi- 
tatis ob  ejus  nimiam  at  Etnaeum  ignem  propinquitatem, 
haud  sine  dolore  vidi,  eaque  de  re  non  raro  verba  habui 
cum  filio  meo  ;  sed  hactenus  ille  propter  raruni  cultum 
mihi  a  vobis  praestitura  iratus,  meam  intercessionem  au- 
dire  noluit — Nuncautem,  vobis  resipiscentibus,  et  cultum 

*  It  is  surprising  how  learned  a  lady  the  Madonna  is,  for  she  un- 
derstands nearly  all  ancient  languages,  as  may  be  seen  from  the  num- 
ber of  her  epistles  written  to  the  different  Latin,  Greek,  and  Armenian 
churches  ;  all  written  in  the  ancient  language  of  the  people,  to  which 
they  are  directed  ;  for  she  seems,  either  not  to  understand,  or  at  least 
to  think  beneath  her  notice,  all  modern  languages,  as  none  of  her 
letters  are.  found  written  in  Italian,  or  in  modem  Armenian  or  modem 
Greek. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  205 

mei  feliciter  inchoantibus,  mei  juris  benigne  fecit,  iit  ves- 
trum  vestraeque  civitatis  sterna  protectrix  essem ;  vobis 
verimtamen  magno  opere  cavendum  est,  ni  hujus  erga 
vos  boni  animi  poenitere  causam  mihi  dederitis,  Mihi 
vehementer  placent  orationes  et  festa  in  meo  honore  in- 
dicia ;  et  si  in  his  rebus  fideliter  perseveraveritis,  et  has- 
reses  nunc  temporis  per  veslrum  orbem  grassantes,  quibus 
cultus  mihi,  caeteroque  sanctorum  sanctarumque  ccEtui 
debitus  maxime  periclitatur,  summii  vi  obviam  vosmetip- 
sos  praibueritis,  mea  perpetua  protectione  f'ruemini.  In 
signo  hujus  pacti  rati,  imaginem  mei  a  manibus  caelesti- 
bus  fusam  vobis  e  caelo  dimitto  ;  et  si  earn  digno  honore 
tenueritis,  signura  erit  mihi  obedientiae  vestrae,  et  lidei. 
Valete.  Dabam  ex  caelo,  me  sedente  juxta  thronum  Filii 
mei,  anno  ab  ejusdem  incarnatione  miilesimo,  quingente- 
simo  trigesimo  quarto,  mense  autem  Decembris." 

Mary,  Virgin  and  mother  of  the  Redeemer  of  the  world, 
to  the  bishop,  clergy,  and  the  other  faithful  of  Messina, 
health  and  blessing  from  herself  and  her  Son. 

Because  ye  have  taken  measures  for  establishing  the 
worship  of  me ;  know,  that  ye  have  thereby  found  great 
favour  in  my  sight.  Long  since  I  observed,  not  without 
pain,  the  situation  of  your  city,  too  much  exposed  to 
danger  from  its  contiguity  to  the  fires  of  Etna,  and  have 
frequently  spoken  to  my  Son  on  that  subject ;  but  he  being 
angry  on  account  of  the  neglect  of  my  worship,  which  ye 
have  been  guilty  of,  showed  himself  unwilling  to  attend 
to  my  intercession.  Now,  however,  that  ye  have  grown 
wiser,  and  have  happily  begun  to  worship  me,  I  have 
obtained  from  him  the  faculty  of  being  your  eternal  pro- 
tectress ;  but  I  earnestly  advise  you,  at  the  same  time,  to 
be  careful  that  ye  give  me  no  cause  of  repenting  of  this 
my  kindness.  The  prayers  and  festivals  instituted  in  my 
honour  are  exceedingly  pleasing  to  me,  and  if  ye  faith- 
fully persevere  in  observing  them,  and  in  opposing  with 
all  your  might  the  heresy  which  at  this  time  is  spread- 
ing through  every  part  of  your  globe,  by  which  both  my 
worship,  and  that  of  the  other  saints  and  saintesses,  is 
endangered  ;  ye  will  enjoy  my  everlasting  protection.  In 
19 


206  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

sign  of  the  ratification  of  this  agreement,  I  send  you  down 
from  heaven  the  image  of  myself,  cast*  by  celestial  hands, 
and  if  ye  hold  it  in  that  honour  which  it  claims  as  a  re- 
presentation of  me,  ye  will  thereby  convince  me  of  your 
obedience  and  faith.  Farewell.  Dated  in  Heaven,  while 
sitting  near  the  throne  of  ray  Son,  in  the  1534th  year 
from  his  incarnation.  Mary  Virgin. 

Then  follows  the  signature  and  seal  of  the  bishop 
who  governed  the  church  of  Messina  at  that  period,  in 
attestation  of  the  genuineness  of  this  curious  epistle  ; 
and  after  his  name  follow  those  of  his  vicar-general, 
secretary,  and  of  six  canons  of  the  cathedral  church. 
Hence  may  be  learned  the  degree  of  credibility  to  which 
popish  priests  and  bishops  are  entided. 

Not  in  Italy  only  has  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  super- 
seded the  worship  of  the  one  and  true  God,  but  in  othev 
parts  of  Europe  also,  especially  in  Spain  and  Portugal, 
and  indeed  in  every  place  where  the  contiguity  to  evan- 
gelical Christians  do  not  make  the  favourers  of  idolatry- 
blush.  The  contiguity  with  Protestants  is  very  probably 
the  reason  that  this  article  of  the  popish  creed  is  so  little 
practised  upon  in  the  Roman  Catholic  cantons  of  Swit- 
zerland ;  for  popery  approaches  nearer  to  Christianity  in 
the  latter  country,  than  I  have  seen  it  in  any  other  part 
of  Europe.  In  Spain  the  worship  of  the  Virgin  with 
all  its  accompanying  enormities  flourishes,  or  at  least 
did  flourish  while  under  the  tyranny  of  the  petticoat- 
embroiderer,t   the    late   King   Ferdinand.      Indeed   the 

*  It  would  appear  from  this  that  the  image  is  made  of  brass,  or  some 
other  fusible  metal,  though  it  did  not  appear  so  to  me  when  I  saw  it. 
I  thought  that  it  was  of  wood,  but  I  saw  the  face  alone,  which  is  paint- 
ed, the  rest  of  the  body  being  clothed — of  course  then  I  was  deceived, 
for  it  is  to  be  presumed  that  the  Virgin  Mary  knew  better  than  I 
possibly  could  know,  of  what  this  image,  which  she  ordered  herself, 
and  which  she  seems  to  take  such  trouble  about,  is  composed. 

-j-  It  is  said  that  the  late  King  of  Spain,  when  obliged  to  flee  from 
Madrid  on  the  approach  of  Joseph  Bonaparte  and  the  French 
army,  diverted  himself  at  Seville  in  the  Jdngly  employment  of  em- 
broidering his  wife's  petticoats.  He  also  embroidered  with  his  own 
royal  hands  a  complete  suit  for  the  Madonna,  with  which  she  is  clad 
on  her  principal  festivals.  He  would  have  made  a  good  man- 
milliner. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  207 

Spanish  monarchy  was  as  much  upheld  by  the  tongues 
and  preaching  of  the  monks  and  priests,  who  dissemi- 
nated the  slavish  doctrines  of  popery,  (for  popery,  re- 
garded even  in  a  political  light,  is  essentially  a  slave 
making  religion,)  as  by  the  bayonets  and  cannons  of  the 
Escurial.  Spain  was  formerly  more  addicted  to  super- 
stition than  even  Rome  herself.  She  had  her  inquisition, 
and  her  inquisitors,  her  monks,  and  her  friars,  her  nuns, 
and — in  fine  she  had  all  the  paraphernalia  of  the  most 
abominable  irreligion.  Her  missionaries  were  the  active 
agents  for  disseminating  the  anti-christian  doctrines  of 
popery,  and  helped  to  brutalize  more,  perhaps,  than  any 
other  nation  in  the  world,  the  people  who  were  so  unfor- 
tunate as  to  fall  under  their  sway.  The  Spanish  Jesuits 
were  certainly  the  most  wily  of  that  wily  body.  Igna- 
tius Loyola  himself  was  a  Spaniard,  and  the  order  which 
he  instituted  is  well  known  to  the  world,  for  the  injury 
which  morality  and  Christianity  suffered  through  its 
malign  influence.  Its  treachery  and  deceit  was  too  gross 
even  for  Rome  itself,  and  therefore,  the  head  of  the 
Romish  church,  to  avoid  greater  evils,  and  to  appease 
the  European  sovereigns,  strongly  crying  out  to  a  man 
for  its  suppression,  was  obliged  to  take  away  this  rock 
of  offence  from  the  eyes  of  the  Christian  world.  Un- 
willingly, indeed,  did  Ganganelli  (Clement  XIV.)  sup- 
press the  order,  for  he  well  knew  that  he  exposed  his 
own  life  to  the  attacks  and  machinations  of  the  Jesuits. 
His  death,  six  months  after  the  promulgation  of  the 
bull  for  their  suppression,  fully  proved,  that  the  pope's 
fears  were  not  without  grounds  ;  for  it  is  related  that 
he  met  his  death  by  a  slow  poison,  administered  to 
him  by  the  emissaries  of  the  Jesuits,  or  by  one  of 
that  order.  Image-worship  and  Madonna-worship  was 
'carried  to  more  than  pagan  excess  in  Spain,  through 
Jesuitical  influence.  The  common  salutations  of  the 
people  fully  proved  that  they  thought  more  of  the  Mo- 
ther than  of  the  Son,  and  that  they  could  more  justly 
be  called  Virginites  than  Christians.  "  .^ve  Maria 
purisima,  (Hail  Mary,  most  pure,)  answered  by  ^^Sin 
pecado  concebidOj''''  (Conceived  without  sin,)  was  the 


208  '  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

most  frequent  form  of  salutation ;  the  more  Christian 
one  of  "  Fa  listed  con  Dios,""  (Go  with  God,)  being  ex- 
ploded by  common  consent,  until  Avithin  a  few  years  back. 
The  churches  were  adorned  with  costly  images  and  pic- 
tures of  this  goddess,  and  divine  honours  paid  to  them 
and  to  her  relics.  In  fine,  an  evangelical  Christian, 
while- travelling  in  this  country,  could  hardly  bring  him- 
self to  think  that  it  had  ever  been  favoured  with  the  light 
of  the  gospel ;  so  much  is  it  given  up  to  the  detestable 
practices  of  idolatry.  After  the  suppression  of  the  Je- 
suits and  destruction  of  the  inquisition,  Spain  apparently 
threw  off  some  of  the  abominations  of  popery,  though 
she  still  retains  enough  of  them  to  make  her  be  distin- 
guished among  the  other  nations  of  Europe,  as  a  country 
having  the  mark  of  "i/ic  beasV  stamped  on  its  forehead 
— not  indelibly,  it  is  hoped — and  the  seat  of  bigotry, 
tyranny,  and  superstition. 

What  has  been  said  of  Spain,  can  also  be  said  with 
equal  justice  when  applied  to  Portugal.  The  latter 
country  was  not  without  its  own  share  of  popish  corrup- 
tions ;  indeed,  popery  reigned  there  in  as  much  vigour 
as  in  any  other  part  of  Europe.  Madonnanism,  or  the 
idolatry  of  the  Virgin,  was  and  perhaps  is  still  practised 
there  in  all  its  revolting  forms.  It  was  renewed  with 
fresh  vigour  in  the  late  contest  for  the  crown,  between 
Don  Miguel  and  his  brother  Don  Pedro.  The  former, 
in  order  to  conciliate  the  minus  of  the  clergy,  and  through 
them,  of  the  people,  to  his  usurped  authority,  thought  it 
advisable  to  favour  every  kind  of  superstition,  and  none 
more  so  than  the  worship  of  the  Madonna.  The  priests, 
in  return,  to  repay  hinj  for  his  kindness  toward  them- 
selves, and  to  excite  the  popular  feelings  in  his  favour, 
lost  no  opportunity  of  preaching  the  justice'of  his  cause, 
of  praising  him  for  his  attention  to  religious  ceremonies, 
and  of  holding  him  forth  as  a  most  holy  personage,  and 
as  one  well  worthy  of  governing  the  kingdom.  They 
represented,  on  the  other  hand,  his  rival  Don  Pedro  as  a 
freemason ;  as  one  who  would  subvert  the  religion  of 
the  country,  and  who,  if  he  got  possession  of  the  crown. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  209 

would  call  down,  by  his  impiety,  the  curse  of  God  and 
his  saints  upon  their  devoted  heads. 

A  most  curious  and  laughable  circumstance  happened 
in  the   course  of  this   contest  at   one  of  the  Madonna 
churches  in  Lisbon.     There  was  worshipped  in  one  of 
these  churches  an  image  of  the  Virgin,  which  was  held 
in  the  greatest  repute  by  the  inhabitants,  in  consequence 
of  the  numerous  miracles  said  to  be  performed  by  it  in 
former  times.     The  priests   thought,  that  making  this 
image   speak   in  favour  of   their  patron,   Don   Miguel, 
would  be  an  irrefutable  argument  with  the  people  for  his 
pretensions.     With  this  intention  a  novena  was  ordered 
in  honour  of  the  image,  and  the  church  splendidly  deco- 
rated for   its    celebration.      The    people    assembled  in 
crowds  from  all  parts  of  the  city  to  pay  their  devoirs  to 
the  Virgin,  and  to  hear  the  panegyric  preached  in  her 
honour.     The  preacher,  after  enumerating  the  many  be- 
nefits, temporal  and  spiritual,  which  the  people  derived 
from  their  devotion  to  the  queen  of  heaven,  and  after 
relating  the  many  miracles  performed  by  the  image  then 
and  there  worshipped ;  turning  toward  the  image  itself, 
and  casting  himself  on  his  knees  before  it,  (in  which 
idolatrous    act   he    was   imitated  by   his   audience,)   he 
addressed  to  it  a  fervent  prayer,  for  the  good   of  the 
church,  and  implored  it  to  manifest  by  a  miracle,  whethei 
she   was  well   pleased  that  Don   Miguel  should  reign 
over  the  kingdom  of  Portugal.     The  image,  mirahile 
dictu!  at  the  conclusion  of  this  fervid  appeal,  bowed  its 
head  in  sign  of  assent  three  times  in  succession,  before 
the  eyes  of  the  assembled  multitude,  all  of  which,  with. 
one  voice,  simultaneously  cried  out,  ".^^  miracle!  a  mi- 
racle!  long  live  Miguel  J.  the  chosen  of  the  Virgin, 
and  the  beloved  of  Heavoi."     This  miracle  was  repeat 
ed  frequently  on  the  following  days  of  the  festival,  and 
in  presence  of  a  still  greater  concourse,  attracted  by  its 
fame,  which  spread  in  an  incredibly  short  time,  not  only 
through  Lisbon,  but  through  the  greater  part  of  Portugal 
It  was  even  repeated  by  the  Miguelite  officers  to  their 
soldiers  at  the  head  of  the  ranks,  and  had,  as  it  was  in- 
tended, the  effect  of  exciting  their  zeal  in  the  cause  of 
19* 


210  SIX    YEARS   IN    THE 

the  petty  tyrant — as  Miguel  proved  himself  to  be  for  the 
comparatively  short  time  that  he  was  in  possession  of  the 
usurped  throne. 

The  last  day  but  one,  however,  of  its  acting  was  des- 
tined to  open  the  eyes  of  the  people,  and  to  give  them  an 
idea  of  what  priestcraft  is  capable,  in  order  to  arrive  at 
its  ends.  At  the  close  of  the  sermon,  and  when  the 
preacher  turned,  as  usual,  to  apostrophise  the  image, 
and  to  implore  it  to  signify  its  pleasure  and  assent  to 
Miguel's  government  by  moving  the  head,  as  it  had  done 
the  seven  preceding  days,  since  the  commencement  of  the 
novena,  the  image  retained  its  inanimate  position,  to  the 
great  disappointment  of  the  people,  whose  expectations 
were  so  highly  wound  up,  and  to  the  consternation  of 
the  priests  who  were  privy  to  the  cheati,  The  request 
was  repeated  with  some  additional  flowers  of  rhetoric 
from  the  preacher  and  the  most  stunning  vociferations 
from  the  people ;  but  all  in  vain  ;  the  image  neither  moved 
its  head,  nor  changed  its  position.  At  length,  on  the 
preacher's  repeating  the  request  the  third  time,  and  hint- 
ing that  the  Virgin  was  angry  on  account  of  the  presence 
of  some  freemasons,  who  mingled  through  curiosity 
among  the  crowd  of  worshippers,  a  voice  was  heard  issu- 
ing from  the  inside  of  the  image  and  complainingly  cry- 
ing out,  "It  is  not  my  fault  that  the  Virgin  does  not  move 
her  head,  for  I  have  pulled  the  cord  till  it  broke,  and  what 
can  I  do  more  ?"  The  voice  was  distinctly  heard  by 
every  one  ;  but  the  speaker  was  invisible.  At  last,  one 
of  those  present  more  courageous  than  the  rest,  attempted 
to  approach  the  image,  but  was  repulsed  repeatedly  by 
the  priests,  who  well  knew  the  consequence  of  the  dis- 
covery ;  but  being  seconded  by  some  others  equally 
desirous  of  unravelling  the  mystery,  he  at  length  suc- 
ceeded in  coming  close  to  it,  and  on  removing  the  folds 
of  the  garments,  with  which  such  like  images  are  decked 
out,  he  found  an  opening  in  the  side,  large  enough  for 
the  admittance  of  a  grown  boy,  whom  he  pulled  out  from 
the  viscera  of  the  Virgin,  and  who  was  immediately  re- 
cognised as  the  nephew  of  the  bishop,  placed  there  by 
his  uncle ;    for  what  purpose,   it   does  not  require  an 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC  211 

extraordinary  degree  of  acuteness  to  guess.  The  whole 
secret  was  now  explained  ;  the  people  met  the  discovery 
with  the  ridicule  it  so  well  merited,  and  little  was  want- 
ing that  they  did  not  massacre  on  the  spot  the  impostors 
who  got  up  the  cheat.  These  thought  it  their  best  plan 
to  consult  for  their  own  safety  by  flight,  which  they  im- 
mediately made  good  through  the  doors  of  the  sacristy, 
amid  the  hisses  and  curses  of  the  infuriated  populace. 
Miguel's  cause  lost  many  a  good  and  powerful  advocate 
by  the  failure  of  this  imposture,  and  he  was  obliged  to 
again  have  recourse  to  his  usual  remedies — the  sword 
and  dagger — to  keep  the  inhabitants  in  any  degree  of 
subjection  to  his  authority.  The  poor  Madonna,  or  rather 
her  image,  was  now  disgraced  for  ever,  and  removed  in 
a  short  time  from  the  church  altogether.  Indeed,  it  seems 
surprising  that  the  enraged  populace  did  not  tear  it 
asunder,  as  the  vile  instrument  of  a  wily  priesthood  for 
propagating  their  monstrous  doctrines  and  extending  the 
reign  of  darkness.  It  may,  very  probably,  make  its  ap- 
pearance again  on  the  theatre  of  priestcraft,  in  the  cha- 
racter of  same  miracle-working  Madonna  sent  down  from 
heaven,  if  not  used  for  fire- wood  before  a  favourable 
opportunity  presents  of  bringing  it  forward  for  that  pur- 
pose ;  or  it  may  be  baptized  with  the  name  of  some  minor 
saintess,  into  which  a  new  coat  of  paint  could  easily 
transform  it ;  or,  in  fine,  it  may  be  sold  by  the  sacristan 
to  some  farmer,  to  be  used  by  him  for  a  Priapus  to 
frighten  the  birds  from  his  newly  sown  corn-fields.  It  is 
reasonable  to  suppose,  that  ninety-nine  out  of  a  hundred 
— yes,  and  the  hundredth  too — of  popish  miracles,  if 
examined  as  the  foregoing  has  been,  would  be  found 
nothing  else  than  the  machinations  of  the  priests  en- 
deavouring to  establish  some  favourite  doctrine,  or  to 
bring  about  something  which  may  be  profitable  to  them- 
selves as  individuals,  or  to  the  whole  church  in  general 
which  they  swear  to  support,  peryizs  et  nefas — to  carry 
through  thick  and  thin. 

I  have  been  thus  diflfuse  on  the  subject  of  images  and 
image-worship,  because  it  is  a  doctrine  fondly  adhered  to 
by  the  church  of  Rome,  and  cherished  as  one  of  its  most 


212  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

essential  and  vital  dogmas.  The  scriptural  dogn.ia  ncld 
in  common  by  all  who  take  the  revealed  word  as  guide 
of  their  faith,  is  but  of  secondary  consideration  in  the 
Romish  church  ;  some  of  them,  as  justification  by  faith, 
being  exploded  altogether,  while  those  that  are  retained 
are  so  covered  over  with  the  filth  of  human  inventions, 
that  they  may  be  said  to  be  exploded  too — at  least  prac- 
tically. Of  the  latter  class  are  the  atonement  of  Christ, 
the  influence  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  the  administration  of 
the  sacraments,  and  many  other  essential  doctrines  of 
which  it  is  needless  to  make  explicit  mention  in  this 
place  ;  all  hidden  under  a  monstrous  mass  of  unscriptural 
leaven,  which  renders  them  of  little  or  no  avail  to  the 
salvation  of  man.  For  these  are  substituted  prayers  to, 
and  adoration  of,  saints ;  purgatory,  adoration  of  relics, 
&c.  I  shall  now  proceed  to  examine  another  species  of 
soul-killing  idolatry — that  of  relics.  It  flows  sua  sponte 
from  the  invocation  of  saints  and  image-worship,  and 
like  these,  is  universally  practised  by  the  benighted  fol- 
lowers of  popery,  and  preached  by  its  wily  and  error- 
propagating  ministers.  It  will  be  seen  by  the  following 
account  of  this  superstition,  that  it  is  carried  to  as  great 
excess  as  image-worship  itself,  whose  daughter  it  is,  and 
that  like  it,  it  is  the  source  of  no  small  emolument  to  the 
priests,  who  let  no  opportunities  slip  of  inculcating  it  as 
a  most  holy  and  tvholesome  doctrine.  Whether  it  be  so 
or  not,  I  shall  let  the  reader  decide.  It  is  enough  for  me 
to  give  an  account  of  how  it  is  actually  practised. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  213 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Relics — Practice  of  the  primitive  church — Relic-worship  established 
by  the  pope — Manner  of  procuring  saint-bodies — The  three  heads 
of  John  the  Baptist— The  offal  of  the  charnel-houses  made  the 
object  of  a  Christian's  adoration — St.  Crispin  of  Viterbo— St. 
Spiridione — Contest  between  the  Greeks  and  Latins,  for  the  pos- 
session of  his  body — Relic-worship  at  Malta — Maltese  quack-doctor 
— Relics  preserved  in  the  church  of  St.  John  at  Malta — Attempt 
to  steal  a  relic — Anecdotes  of  the  plague  at  Malta — Translation  of 
a  saint's  body  from  the  catacombs  at  Rome  to  Malta — Stupendous 
miracle  performed  by  touching  the  foregoing  body — Reflections — 
Milk  of  the  Virgin  Mary — Shrine  of  Thomas  a  Bccket  at  Canter- 
bury— Henry  VIII.,  and  his  myrmidons — Relation  of  the  manner 
in  which  the  Virgin's  milk  found  its  way  to  the  monastery  of  St. 
Mary's,  near  Falmouth — Concluding  remarks  on  relic-worship. 

Papists  understand  by  reliquiae,  or  relics,  the  remains 
of  the  bodies  or  clotlies,  or  of  any  other  thing  belonging, 
or  supposed  to  have  belonged,  to  the  saints  and  martyrs, 
worshipped  as  gods  in  their  church.  The  instruments 
by  which  martyrs  were  put  to  death,  the  blood  collected 
on  that  occasion,  and  even  the  very  water  in  which  their 
bodies  Avere  washed,  are  also  numbered  among  the  most 
esteemed  relics ;  and  happy  is  he  who  can  get  posses- 
sion— it  matters  little  how — of  any  of  these  holy  things. 
These  things  are  carried  about  in  procession ;  preserved 
in  gold  and  silver  cases,  kissed,  bowed  down  to,  and 
adored  in  many  other  idolatrous  ways.  The  respect  paid 
to  the  martyrs,  and  to  the  first  teachers  of  the  Christian 
faith,  by  the  Christians  of  the  first  ages  of  the  church, 
who  were  accustomed  to  assemble  at  their  tombs,  for  the 
purpose  of  honouring  their  memories  and  for  prayer, 
seems  to  have  given  rise  to  this  superstition,  and  to  have 
degenerated  in  subsequent  ages  into  the  detestable  sys- 
tem of  relic-worship,  which  is  now  practised  in  the 
church  of  Rome.  The  primitive  Christians,  doubtless, 
had  no  other  intention  for  assembling  at  the  cemeteries 
of  the  martyrs,  (M'here,  by  the  way,  many  who  were 


214  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

not  martyrs,  nor  even  pious  Christians,  were  also  buried,) 
than  for  the  purpose  of  prayer  and  religious  exercise, 
especially  as  such  places  were  generally  more  retired, 
and  as  they  could  there  enjoy  communion  with  God, 
without  being  interrupted  by  their  pagan  persecutors. 
They  had  not  even  thought  upon  extending  their  venera- 
tion for  the  virtues  of  their  departed  brethren,  farther 
than  a  simple  regard  for  their  memories,  without  expect- 
ing or  desiring  that  any  benefits,  either  temporal  or 
spiritual,  might  follow  to  themselves  from  this  pious 
commemoration  of  them.  Their  hopes  of  obtaining  bless- 
ings were  grounded  upon  a  surer  foundation — on  the  pro- 
mises of  Christ  himself,  who  directed  them  to  ask  "  the 
Father  in  his  name''' — and  in  no  other  name.  They 
were  well  aware,  then,  that  the  prayers  and  intercession 
of  their  departed  friends  would  avail  them  but  little ;  and 
accordingly  honoured  their  memories,  by  imitating  their 
lives,  and  not  in  worshipping  their  bones.  Little  did 
they  imagine,  however,  that  their  posterity  would  as- 
sume these  simple  usages  as  arguments  in  favour  of 
idolatry — for,  let  papists  say  what  they  may,  image- 
worship  and  relic-worship  virtually  amounts  to,  and,  in 
fact,  can  be  called  by  no  othejr  name — that,  what  was  in- 
tended for  a  simple  mark  of  respect  for  the  memories  of 
those,  by  whose  perseverance  and  labours  the  glad  tid- 
ings of  salvation  reached  themselves,  should  be  made  a 
precedent  for  partly  destroying  the  effects  to  be  expected 
from  the  more  general  knowledge  of  the  gospel,  and  for 
dishonouring  God,  by  robbing  him  of  his  glory,  and  be- 
stowing it  upon  his  creatures.  Had  they  foreseen,  that 
such  conclusions  would  or  could  be  drawn  from  their 
actions,  it  is  very  probable,  nay,  it  is  certain,  that  they 
would  sooner  have  assembled  for  prayer  in  the  idol- 
temples,  and  among  pagans  themselves,  rather  than 
afford  an  opportunity  to  posterity  of  misinterpreting  their 
intention,  by  assembling  at  the  cemeteries  of  martyrs. 

After  the  establishment  of  iraa.ofe-worship  and  the 
invocation  of  saints  in  the  church,  n  was  very  easy  to 
make  the  addition  of  another  species*  oi  idoi-^try,  near 
akin  to  the  former — I  mean  thai   ot  .'eh.'-wc>fsJi;]       1* 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALF,  ETC.  215 

was  not  deemed  sufficient,  by  the  governors  of  the  church, 
to  worship  the  images  of  the  saints,  and  to  invoke  their 
intercession,  attributing  to  them  the  power  of  curing  all 
diseases,  of  working  miracles,  and  of  obtaining  eternal 
life  for  their  worshippers,  by  pleading  their  own  merits 
at  the  foot  of  the  Almighty's  throne :  No,  this  was  not 
sufficient  to  satisfy  the  thirst  for  gain,  for  which  the 
popish  clergy,  secular  and  regular,  were,  and  still  are, 
remarkable  in  every  place  which  has  been,  or  is,  cursed 
by  their  presence.  They  hit  upon  an  expedient  by  which 
a  new  trade  was  opened  for  them, — a  new  market  for 
the  sale  of  their  impositions.  This  was  no  other  than 
exciting  a  veneration  for  the  relics  of  those  to  whom  they 
themselves  assigned  a  place  in  heaven — for  many,  it  may 
be  supposed,  prayed  to  and  honoured  as  saints,  were  not 
worthy  of  a  place  even  in  their  own  purgatory.  As  soon 
as  this  new  article  of  Christianity  began  to  be  preached, 
the  relic  mania  began.  Jaw-bones,  fingers,  thumbs, 
teeth,  parings  of  the  nails,  the  beard,  and  even  the  ob- 
scene parts  of  the  bodies  (e.  g.  the  holy  prepuce  of 
Christ,  which  is  actually  worshipped  ai  Rome)  of  those 
who  were  before  honoured  as  saints,  began  to  be  sought 
after  with  great  diligence.  Happy  was  he,  who  could 
possess  any  part  of  such  invaluable  things  ;  for  then  he 
held  himself  secure  from  all  assaults  and  devices  of  the 
devil,  from  pestilence  and  contagion ;  from  every  thing, 
in  fine,  which  could  endanger  his  temporal  or  spiritual 
interests.  The  priests,  seeing  how  well  their  bait  took, 
instituted  prayers  and  fastings  for  imploring  the  direction 
of  Heaven  in  finding  the  body  of  some  martyr  or  other 
saint.  The  body  was  always  found  in  some  secret 
place,  where  it  had  before  been  conveyed  by  the  priests, 
who  then  blasphemously  gave  out,  that  the  prayers  and 
fastings  of  the  faithful  had  prevailed  upon  God  to  mani- 
fest the  body  of  his  saint,  to  increase  their  devotion,  and 
afford  a  help  for  salvation  to  his  people.  The  stinking 
carcass  being  conveyed  processionally  to  the  church,  to 
to  be  there  deposited  under  the  altar,  or  in  some  other 
sacred  place;  the  earth,  in  which  it  was  buried,  acquired 
also  a  degree  of  sanctity  by  being  honoured  with  its 


216  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

touch,  and  was  accordingly  either  carried  away  by  the 
priests,  and  afterward  sold  at  its  weight  of  gold  to  their 
deluded  followers,  or  else  violently  taken  or  stolen — for 
it  became  by  right  the  priest's  property — by  the  mob 
assembled  on  the  occasion.  Many,  when  the  catacombs 
of  Rome  and  other  charnel-houses  were  exhausted,  un- 
dertook long  and  hazardous  journeys  to  the  eastern  pro- 
vinces of  the  Roman  empire,  in  order  to  procure  these 
safeguards  against  the  evils  of  the  world.  The  coun- 
tries formerly  honoured  by  the  presence  of  Christ  and 
his  apostles  were  more  especially  the  places  where  they 
hoped  to  be  enriched  by  this  new  kind  of  treasure.  The 
wily,  artful  Greeks,  becoming  aware  of  the  delusions  of 
the  Latins,  soon  found  them  relics  enough,  and  thereby 
enriched  themselves  by  selling,  as  the  bones  and  remains 
of  Christian  saints,  the  offals  of  their  charnel-houses. 
Every  thing  like  a  bone,  or  any  thing  that  could  possibly 
appertain  to  the  human  body,  was  sold  at  extraordinary 
prices.  Many  bones,  said  to  belong  to  the  bodies  of 
departed  saints,  were  in  reality  the  bones  of  pagans,  and 
a  great  number  were  not  even  human.  These,  however, 
purchased  at  a  great  price,  were  borne  in  triumph  to  the 
western  churches  by  their  happy  purchasers,  and  either 
retailed  with  profit  to  those  who  were  rich  enough  and 
foolish  enough  to  buy  them  ;  or  bestowed,  through  devo- 
tion, on  some  church  which  was  not  as  yet  in  possession 
of  such  treasures  :  in  either  case,  they  were  always  held 
up  as  an  object  of  devotion  to  the  deluded  people.  In  this 
way  the  Latin  churches  came  to  the  possession  of  the 
relics  of  St,  Mark,  St.  James,  St.  Bartholomew,  St. 
Cyprian,  which  they  show  to  this  day  .with  so  much 
ostentation.  Some,  who  were  too  poor  to  purchase  re- 
lics, but  were  yet  unwilling  to  be  without  such  inestima- 
ble remedies  against  all  evils,  did  not  scruple  to  break 
into  the  churches  by  night,  (for  every  thing  is  lawful,  if 
successful,  in  a  cause  of  this  nature,)  or  into  the  houses 
of  those  in  possession  of  relics,  and  rob  them  of  the 
coveted  treasures.  The  priests,  in  the  mean  time,  did 
not  neglect  to  turn  to  their  own  advantage  this  infatuation 
of  the  people.     They  saw  the  success  of  their  relic 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC.  217 

stratagem,  and  did  not  let  the  opportunity  slip  of  enrich- 
ing themselves.  They  were  made  the  sole  masters  of 
the  relics,  and  they  caused  a  decree  to  be  issued,  that  no 
relic  should  be  worshipped,  or  believed  genuine,  before  it 
ha^  passed  through  their  hands,  and  had  been  stamped 
with  their  infallible  authority.  A  shop  for  the  sale  of 
relics  was  established  at  Rome,  by  authority  of  the  pope, 
which  is  open  to  this  day;  the  pope  having  discovered 
relics  to  be  a  profitable  commerce,  and  falling  little  short 
of  indulgences  themselves.  In  this  shop  were  manufac- 
tured, or,  at  least,  baptized  relics,  to  be  afterward  sent 
to  order,  to  all  parts  of  the  Christian  world.  From  this 
shop  were  sent  forth  the  three  heads  of  John  the  Baptist, 
which  have  divine  honours  paid  to  them  in  three  of  the 
principal  Italian  cities  : — Florence,  Capua,  and  Reggio  ; 
each  armed  with  the  pontifical  seal,  and  with  a  written 
paper,  confirmatory  of  its  genuineness.* 

Since  relics  and  relic-worship  became  so  much  in 
vogue,  and  was  found  so  profitable  a  cheat,  it  was  thought 
expedient  to  issue  a  decree,  dated  from  the  city  of  bulls, 
and  signed  by  the  arch-cheat  himself,  by  which  it  was 

*  I  have  had  the  honour  myself  of  kissing  two  of  these  heads ;  the 
one  adored  at  Capua,  «nd  the  one  at  Florence.  I  have  been  assured, 
by  a  Calabrian  priest,  that  these  two  are  spurious ;  and  that  the 
genuine  one  is  adored  (si  adora,  were  his  words)  in  his  native  city, 
Reggio.  This  he  informed  me  under  a  strict  injunction  to  secrecy. 
Would  it  be  impious  to  judge  of  the  genuineness  of  all  three  1  It 
would,  the  papist  answers,  because  the  pope  has  confirmed  their 
genuineness  with  his  infallible  authority  !  What !  of  all  three  ''  Yes, 
of  all  three ;  for  who  can  limit  the  power  of  the  vicar  of  Christ  1 
Such,  in  reality,  was  the  question  I  once  started  to  a  brother  monk — 
and  one  that  was  no  fool,  either — and  such  was  the  answer  I  received  ! 
I  remember  an  anecdote  of  a  French  abbe,  of  rather  liberal  principles, 
to  whom  were  shown,  while  travelling  in  Italy,  the  three  heads  of  the 
precursor  of  the  Lord.  On  seeing,  at  Reggio,  the  last  head  of  the 
three,  for  he  had  already  seen  the  other  two  at  Florence  and  Capua, 
he  laughingly  remarked  to  the  priest,  who  held  it  up  to  be  kissed, 
that  "  his  saintship,  John  Baptist,  was  really  a  philanthropical  saint, 
for  he  converted  his  own  head  into  three,  in  order  to  benefit,  by  its 
presence,  the  three  different  cities  that  were  beatified  by  the  possession 
of  it."  So  much  for  French  levity — but  many  Frenchmen  are  infi- 
dels. No  wonder,  when  such  monstrosities  are  proposed  to  their 
beUef. 

20 


218  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

ordained,  that  after  one  month  from  the  date  of  it,  in  Italy, 
and  after  three  months,  in  those  countries  situated  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Alps,*  no  church  should  be  consecrated 
for  divine  service,  unless  it  possessed  a  holy  carcass  to  be 
deposited  under  the  great  altar  ;  and  that  churches  already 
consecrated,  and  not  having  the  requisite  relic,  should, 
within  the  same  space,  be  provided  with  it,  under  pain 
of  having  their  rites  interdicted,  and  their  clergy,  or 
ministers,  ipso  facto,  excommunicated.  In  the  same  bull, 
the  faithful  are  admonished  to  provide  themselves  with 
the  relics  of  the  saints,  which  they  may  wear  as  amulets 
abouttheir  persons,  or  keep  in  their  houses,  as  protection 
against  the  efforts  of  the  devil,  and  against  the  accidents 
and  misfortunes  which,  more  or  less,  attend  every  man 
during  his  pilgrimage  through  this  world.  This  bull  was 
manifestly  designed  to  compel  the  faithful  to  purchase  the 
bodies  taken  from  the  catacombs,  and  other  cemeteries  in 
Rome,  and  dubbed  by  the  pope's  infallible  authority,  the 
bodies  of  martyrs  and  other  saints;  and  which  were 
lying  on  hand  in  the  pope's  relic-shop,  at  Rome. 

It  is  but  fair  to  add,  that  this  custom  of  shutting  up 
putrefied  carcasses  in  the  altars,  and  other  parts  of  the 
Christian  churches,  can  boast  of  a  more  ancient  origin ;  for 
we  find  it  ordained  by  a  council  held  in  Constantinople 
in  the  middle  of  the  fourth  century,  that  those  altars  should 
be  demolished  under  which  there  were  found  no  relics; 
and  St.  Ambrose,  bishop  of  Milan,  refused  to  consecrate 
a  church  because  it  had  no  relics.  This  custom,  how- 
ever, soon  died  away,  both  because  no  virtue  was  ever 
attached  to  the  relics  themselves,  even  by  the  Christians 
of  the  fourth  century,  at -which  time  the  church  began  to 
fall  off  from  gospel  purity,  and  because  the  zealous,  scrip- 
tural Christians  saw  that  it  would  be  affording  a  bad 
precedent  to  future  ages,  and  would  induce  the  simple  to 
attribute  to  bones  and  other  species  of  relics,  a  virtue 
which  they  did  not,  and,  indeed,  could  not  possess.     It 

*  I  don't  remember  the  year  in  which  this  bull  was  promulgated, 
and  not  having  by  me  a  bullary,  or  book  of  bulk,  I  have  not  an  op- 
portunity of  correcting  the  fault  of  my  memory.  I  believe,  however, 
that  it  was  in  some  part  of  the  tenth  century  ;  but  am  not  certain. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  219 

was,  therefore,  suffered  to  fall  into  disuse  ;  nor  was  it 
again  revived,  till  the  establishment  of  image-worship,  in 
the  ninth  century,  brought  it  forward,  as  has  been  already 
related.  The  pope  and  his  priests  soon  found  the  good 
effects  to  their  pockets  proceeding  from  the  promulgation 
of  the  relic-establishing  bull,  for  the  deluded  people  were 
compelled  to  buy  up  the  carcasses  at  the  owners'  prices, 
or  else  have  their  churches  shut  up,  or  remaining  uncon- 
secrated,  and  their  ministers  excommunicated.  The  pope 
soon  disposed  of  his  stock  of  relics,  and  emptied  the 
charnel-houses  of  their  dirt ;  and  all  this  with  the  great- 
est advantage  to  himself  and  his  priests,  without  mention- 
ing how  much  it  conduced  to  the  purity  of  the  air,  thus 
freed  from  the  pestilent  exhalations  of  rotten  bones.  It 
must  be  admitted,  however,  that  the  greater  number  of 
the  people  swallowed  the  bait  held  out  to  them  almost  as 
willingly  as  their  rulers  extended  it ;  but  this  is  no  argu- 
ment in  favour  of  its  lawfulness,  as  this  willingness  to  be 
duped  on  the  part  of  the  people,  is  but  the  effect  of  the 
endeavours  and  preaching  of  the  ministers  of  relic-wor- 
ship ;  it  always  remaining  to  be  accounted  for,  by  what 
authority,  or  under  what  lawful  pretext,  the  offal  of  the 
charnel-house  should  be  attempted  to  be  made  the  object 
of  a  Christian's  worship  and  devotion.  Some  of  the 
learned  men  of  the  day,  and  no  small  number  of  the 
clergy,  cried  out  loudly  against  the  abuse,  but  these,  being 
few  in  number,  compared  to  the  opposite  party — the 
advocates  for  relics — were  obliged  in  a  short  time  to  be 
silent,  and  bear  with  patience  an  evil  they  could  not  pre- 
vent :  or  if  they  persisted  in  opposing  the  progress  of  it, 
they  incurred  personal  risk,  and  came  under  .the  surveil- 
lance of  the  papal  court,  which  had  the  power  of  soon 
stopping  their  mouths  with  a  vengeance. 

The  greater  number  of  saint-bodies  to  be  found  un<ier 
the  altars  of  the  different  churches  of  Italy,  and  other 
popish  countries,  were  taken  from  the  catacombs  at  Rome. 
These  were  the  common  receptacles  for  the  dead  for 
many  ages  :  it  may  then  be  supposed,  that  all  who  died 
during  the  earlier  ages  of  the  church,  till  the  reign  of 
Constantine,  were  not  all  Christians,  and,  consequently, 


220  SIX    YEARS   IN    THE 

no  saints.  But  all  being  buried  indiscriminately,  accord- 
ing to  the  best  authority,  in  this  common  burial-place, 
how  then  can  relic-worshippers  distinguish  between  the 
bodies  of  Christian  martyrs  and  those  of  pagan  male- 
factors. The  difficulty  is  got  over  in  the  following  manner. 
If  the  people's  relic-store  should  be  exhausted  by  a  great 
demand  for  holy  carcasses,  it  is  again  replenished  from 
the  catacombs.  His  holiness  appoints  a  day  for  a  pro- 
cession to  these  caverns,  when,  accompanied  by  all  the 
secular  and  regular  clergy  of  the  holy  city,  he  intends  to 
make  the  selection  of  such  bodies  as  may  be  wanted  to 
supply  the  demands  made  by  the  faithful.  The  difficulty 
of  distinguishing  between  pagan  and  Christian  bones 
seems  to  be  well  known  and  acknowledged,  for  the 
"  Veni  Creator  Spiritus,"  or  the  invocation  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  is  chanted  by  the  assembled  clergy,  and  a  Latin 
prayer, — the  Latin  church  never  addresses  the  Deity  in 
any  other  language, — is  read,  by  which  the  Divine  assist- 
ance, and  directions  from  on  high,  is  sought  for  the  per- 
formance of  this  (to  them)  solemn  duty.  The  pope  then 
casts  his  eyes  around  the  confused  mass  of  mouldering 
skeletons,  and,  as  the  whim  may  take  him,  calls  this  the 
body  of  Saint  Such-a-one,  another,  the  body  of  "  Virgin 
Some-other-one" — and  so  on,  till  he  is  warned  by  his 
attendants  that  enough  are  now  baptized,  (battezati,  is  the 
name  Romanists  give  to  the  bodies  of  the  saints  chosen 
in  this  manner,)  to  serve  for  the  present  occasion.  The 
rotten  bones  are  then  carefully  collected,  and,  having  been 
sprinkled  with  holy  water,  are  placed  in  a  chest  prepared 
for  that  purpose,  and  carried  in  procession  to  the  Vatican, 
where  there  is  a  room  purposely  set  apart  for  the  prepa- 
ration and  sale  of  relics — the  same  that  has  been  before 
called  a  "  relic-shop.''^  They  are  then  handed  over  to 
s(jpe  one  whose  duty  it  is  to  arrange  the  bones  anatomi- 
cally, supplying  those  that  are  wanting  with  purified  wax, 
and  covering  over  what  remains  of  the  countenance,  with 
a  waxen  mask  made  to  life,  so  that  it  approaches  very 
near  the  natural  countenance,  and  would  lead  one  to 
imagine  that  it  is  really  the  incorruptible  flesh  of  the 
sanctified  mummy. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  221 

The  skilfulness  to  which  they  have  reached  of  making 
putrid  bones  assume  the  appearance  of  a  human  body, 
whence  the  soul  is  just  departed,  has  given  rise  to  the 
many  lying  fables  related,  concerning  the  incorruptibility 
of  the  bodies  of  favourite  saints,  so  fondly  believed  by 
some  sensible  members  of  the  popish  communion.  1 
have  been  more  than  once  deceived  myself,  while  looking 
at  made-up  bodies  of  this  kind,  and  firmly  believed  that 
the  sanctity  of  the  men  whose  bodies  they  were  reported 
to  be  had  kept  their  flesh  from  the  fate  attending  the 
bodies  of  all  men  without  exception — pulverization  and 
corruption  :  indeed  it  requires  to  touch  the  bodies  them- 
selves, from  which  visiters  are  restrained  by  the  cases — 
some  of  silver,  with  a  small  opening  of  glass — others 
entirely  of  glass — to  be  able  to  detect  the  imposition. 

There  is  worshipped  in  the  church  of  the  Immacu- 
late Conception  at  Rome,  a  body  of  this  kind,  which  is 
enough  to  deceive  the  most  acute,  so  well  has  it  been  got 
up,  and  made  to  imitate  nature.  It  is  called  the  body  of 
the  "blessed  Crispin,  of  Viterbo,"  a  Capuchin  lay- 
brother,  whom  monkish  impudence  chose  to  have  enrolled 
in  the  number  of  the  gods.  He  has  been  dead  more 
than  150  years  ;  yet  his  body,  placed  in  a  shrine  built  at 
an  enormous  expense  for  his  worship,  appears  as  if  de- 
prived of  life  but  yesterday.  On  first  seeing  it,  the 
monk  who  showed  it  assured  me  that  it  was  the  real  in- 
corruptible body  of  the  saint  whose  name  it  bears,  and 
that  it  would  be  a  heresy  to  doubt  its  genuineness.  The 
sight  of  the  body  itself  obliged  me  to  give  credit  to  his 
false  assertion,  not  indeed  false,  as  far  as  he  was  con- 
cerned, because  he  only  asserted  what  he  conscientiously 
thought  the  truth  : — the  eyes,  the  mouth,  the  colour — 
even  the  beard,  all  and  every  thing  so  much  resembling 
flesh  and  blood.  So  perfect  is  this  imitation,  and  so 
forcibly  is  the  imposition  eulogized  by  the  panegyrists 
of  St.  Crispin,  that  his  shrine  is  daily  surrounded  by  the 
devotees  of  Rome,  each  of  whom  brings  his  gift,  either 
in  money  or  in  wax  candles,  in  order  to  propitiate  the 
intercession  of  his  waxen  saintship.  A  box  is  appended 
at  the  foot  of  the  altar,  with  a  hole  in  the  middle,  large 
20* 


222  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

enough  to  admit  a  dollar ;  and  from  this  box  is  supplied 
many  a  delicacy  to  the  gormandizing  monks.  Festivals 
and  triduos  are  held  in  honour  of  this  mummy,  by  which 
the  gains  of  the  mummy-owners — the  monks — are  very 
much  increased.  It  is  needless  to  mention,  that  this 
body,  so  firmly  believed  by  the  people  to  be  incorrupt, 
and  also  believed  to  be  so  by  the  greater  part  of  the 
monks  themselves,  is  nothing  more  than  a  few  moulder- 
ing bones  kept  together  by  wax,  and  transformed  by  the 
same  into  a  resemblance  of  the  human  frame.  Alas  ! 
popery,  how  deceitful  thou  art ! 

At  Corfu,  one  of  the  Ionian  islands,  there  is  also 
another  lot  of  sanctified  bones,  christened  "  the  body  of 
St.  Spiridione,"  which  are  worshipped  most  idolatrously 
by  the  Greeks  as  well  as  the  Latins  of  this  island.  The 
body,  made  up  in  the  manner  before  described,  is  depo- 
sited in  a  massive  chest  of  solid  silver,  which  requires, 
on  account  of  its  great  weight,  the  strength  of  four  men 
to  support  it,  when  carried  in  procession,  as  it  frequently 
is,  through  the  streets  of  Corfu.  Its  shrine  is  in  the 
Greek  church,  called  after  the  saint,  with  whose  putrid 
bones  it  is  honoured,  "Spiridione."  This  body  has 
been  the  apple  of  contention  between  the  followers  of  the 
eastern  and  western  churches  of  this  island  for  many 
years.  Very  few  knew  who  or  what  Spiridione  was, 
yet  all  afiirm  that  he  was  a  great  saint.  It  is  equally 
unknown  how  his  body  found  its  way  to  the  island,  or 
what  wind  drove  it  there  ;  for  all  confess  that  he  was  not 
a  Corfuote.  This  mystery,  in  which  the  knowledge,  or 
rather  no  knowledge  of  his  country,  and  the  acquisition 
of  his  body  is  involved,  far  from  lessening,  has,  on  the 
contrary,  tended  to  increase  the  people's  devotion  for 
him.  The  Latins,  taking  advantage  of  the  obscurity  in 
which  his  history  is  involved,  affirm  that  he  was  a  bishop 
of  their  own  church,  and  a  most  zealous  adherent  of  the 
pope's :  they  paint  him,  accordingly,  with  a  mitre  and 
crosier,  and,  under  such  a  form,  his  picture  is  adored  by 
them.  The  Greeks,  on  the  gther  hand,  assert  that  he 
was  the  friend  and  companion  of  Photius,  patriarch  of 
Jerusalem,  who,  in  the  middle  of  the  ninth  century, 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  223 

caused  the  Greek  church  to  separate  from  the  Latin,  on 
account  of  the  errors  of  the  latter ;  and  that  he  was 
waylaid  and  murdered  by  emissaries  from  the  pope,  by 
whom  he  had  the  honour  of  being  excommunicated. 
He  is,  therefore,  placed  by  the  Greeks  in  the  number  of 
their  martyrs,  and  painted  by  them  with  blood  issuing 
from  a  wound  in  his  breast,  which  he  is  in  the  act  of 
receiving  from  two  grim-looking  villains,  dressed  in  the 
habit  of  Latin  monks.  The  Latins,  when  Corfu  was 
under  Venetian  domination,  having  the  force  on  their 
side,  took  the  liberty  of  transporting  Spiridione — case  and 
all,  which  very  probably  the  priests  coveted  more  than 
the  bones,  as  being  of  greater  value — from  the  Greek 
church  into  their  own  cathedral,  pleading  in  excuse  for 
this  act  of  violence,  the  sin  of  permitting  a  Roman 
Catholic  saint  to  be  worshipped  in  a  schismatic  church. 
This  excited  a  rebellion  on  the  part  of  the  Greeks 
against  the  tyranny  of  the  Venetians,  which  was  not 
suppressed  without  the  loss  of  many  lives — sacrificed, 
no  doubt,  to  appease  the  bones  of  the  contested  saint. 
Some  thirty  years  after,  a  new  governor  being  sent  from 
Venice,  he  thought  it  would  be  a  good  way  to  gain  po- 
pularity, and  propitiate  the  affections  of  the  Greeks,  or 
perhaps — which  is  more  likely — being  bribed  thereto  by 
a  good  sum  of  money,  (the  Venetian  governors  of  the 
Ionian  islands  were  proverbially  venal,)  to  use  his  influ- 
ence with  the  doge  and  senate  to  have  Spiridione  restored 
to  his  former  owners.  With  much  difficulty,  and  after 
surmounting  the  obstacles  placed  in  the  way  by  the  Latin 
side,  he  at  length  succeeded,  and  Spiridione  changed 
masters  again,  or  rather  returned  to  his  former  ones,  and 
was  triumphantly  replaced  in  his  former  shrine,  poorer, 
however,  by  some  sixty  pounds  of  silver,  which  the 
Latins  thought  fit  to  subtract  from  the  weight  of  his 
coffin,  to  make  it  more  portable  to  be  sure,  and  in  com- 
passion to  the  miserable  porters.  The  Greeks  complain- 
ed loudly  of  this  robbery,  but  what  could  they  do  ?  A 
place  for  appeal  was  nowhere,  for  the  very  judges  had 
share  of  the  plunder  !  They  were  therefore  obliged  to 
bear  up  with  the  loss,  and  console  themselves  with  the 


224  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

possession  of  their  saint,  and  with  the  remainder  of  his 
riches ;  some  of  the  Latins  remarking  that  sixty  pounds 
of  the  precious  metal  was  the  least  he  could  give  the 
Latin  church  in  payment  for  his  entertainment  and  lodg- 
ing there  for  more  than  thirty  years.  Spiridione  remains 
in  possession  of  the  Greeks  down  to  the  present  time, 
nor  is  there  any  likelihood  of  their  again  losing  him,  till 
guided  by  the  Spirit  of  truth,  and  by  His  precious  word, 
they  throw  aside,  of  their  own  accord,  his  degrading 
worship,  and  convert  his  silver  case  into  something  of 
real  service  to  their  island,  leaving  his  body  to  return  to 
the  dust  from  which  it  was  created,  if,  indeed  the  bones 
that  are  shown  as  his,  ever  formed  the  part  of  a  human 
body — a  thing  in  itself  a  matter  of  doubt.  The  worship 
of  Spiridione,  as  now  practised  at  Corfu,  is  idolatrous  in 
the  extreme.  Perhaps  Vincenzo  Ferreri  is  not  more 
idolatrously  worshipped  at  Valencia,  nor  St.  Peter  at 
Eorae,  than  he  is  in  that  island ;  for  certainly  the  super- 
stitious and  idolatrous  rites  practised  at  his  shrine  can 
hardly  be  surpassed.  It  is  remarkable,  and  at  the  same 
time  surprising,  how  England  allows  her  policy  to  get 
the  better  of  her  religion.  The  British  soldiers  quarter- 
ed in  this  island  have  positive  orders  from  their  general 
to  present  arms  to  the  bones  and  images  of  this  saint,  as 
they  are  carried  along  in  procession  through  the  streets ; 
the  bones  by  the  Greeks,  and  images  and  pictures  by  the 
Latins.  Nor  is  this  all :  a  guard  of  honour,  commanded 
by  a  commissioned  officer,  is  always  in  attendance  on 
every  solemn  occasion,  and  drawn  up  in  front  of  the 
church  to  do  honour  to  the  relics  of  this  idol  :  thus  is  a 
British  soldier  obliged  to  sacrifice  his  duty  to  God  to  his 
duty  as  a  soldier.  This  may  be  good  policy,  but  very 
bad  religion,  and  serves  to  confirm  the  other  continental 
nations  in  their  ideas  of  English  religion ;  for  it  is  no 
uncommon  thing  for  an  Italian,  when  he  wishes  to  express 
his  opinion  of  the  want  of  religion  in  one  of  his  ac- 
quaintances, to  exclaim,  "  Quello  ha  di  religione  qiianto 
un  Inglese ;" — He  has  as  much  religion  as  an  English- 
man ;  meaning  to  say  he  has  none  at  all. 

Malta,  another,  and,  indeed,  the  chief  British  colony 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  225 

in  the  Mediterranean,  is  also  remarkable  in  the  annals  of 
superstition  for  its  servile  adherence  to  the  doctrines  of 
popery,  which  are  there  practised  upon  in  full  vigour, 
and  under  the  most  disgusting  forms.  This  island  is 
supposed  to  have  been  converted  to  the  Christian  faith  by 
St.  Paul,  who  was  shipwrecked  on  a  part  of  it,  known 
at  this  day  by  the  name  of  "  Porto  di  San  Fau/o.'" 
Whether  this  be  true  or  not,  that  is,  whether  the  Melita 
on  which  St.  Paul  was  cast  ashore  after  the  shipwreck,  as 
related  in  the  Acts,  corresponds  with  the  modern  Malta, — 
and  some  doubt  it,  and  give  their  reasons  for  doubting  it 
from  the  description  of  Paul  himself,  as  given  in  the  Acts 
— it  is  certain  that  St.  Paul  never  taught  the  Maltese  the 
farrago  of  superstition  which  later  ages  have  substituted 
in  their  island  for  pure  Christianity.  Indeed,  were  he  to 
be  cast  ashore  again  on  this  island  in  the  present  century, 
as  he  is  reported  to  have  been  in  the  first ;  he  could,  with 
as  much  justice,  style  the  inhabitants  ^^  barbarians"  (the 
name  by  which  he  has  designated  them  in  his  account 
of  the  shipwreck)  at  this  very  time,  and  in  the  modern 
signification  of  the  word  too,  as  he  had  before  done  in  its 
relative  sense — because  they  were  not  Romans,  nor  Ro- 
man colonists.  Popery  has  done  her  work  in  this  island, 
as  is  manifest  in  the  ignorance  of  the  inhabitants,  not  one 
out  of  a  hundred  of  whom  can  read,  and  has  succeeded  to 
her  heart's  content  in  brutalizing  a  people  naturally  of  a 
ready  wit,  and  superior  capacity  for  the  arts  and  sciences. 
Instead,  how^ever,  of  this  island's  producing  artists  and 
scholars,  which  it  certainly  would,  were  it  not  cursed  by 
the  degrading  yoke  of  popery,  it  now  produces  nothing 
else  than  pick -pockets  and  cut-throats,  quacks  and  priests, 
who,  unable  to  find  a  subsistence  in  their  own  island, 
scatter  themselves  through  the  Levant,  and  bear  with  them 
the  vices,  which  they  learned  at  home  under  the  fostering 
care  of  priestcraft.  The  Turks  and  other  inhabitants  of 
the  Levant  are  so  convinced  of  the  evil  disposition  of  the 
ill-taught  Maltese,  that  they  call  all  roguish  foreigners  by 
that  name ;  for  Maltese  in  their  language  is  as  much  as 
to  say,  perfidious,  roguish,  and  bloodthirsty.  On  this 
account  every  gentlemanly  Maltese  is  obliged  to  deny  his 


226  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

country,  when  he  travels  in  the  Levant ;  or  else  he  is 
liable  to  be  suspected  of  having  the  same  virtuous  dispo- 
sitions, for  which  his  countrymen  have  rendered  them- 
selves so  famous,  or  rather  infamous.*  If  St.  Paul  were 
to  land  on  their  island  now-a-days,  he  would  find  greater 
difficulty  in  turning  them  away  from  the  infamous  lives 
which  they  lead  through  the  demoralizing  influence  of 
popery,  and  of  converting  them  from  their  christianized 
idolatry,  than  he  formerly  had  in  converting  them  from 
paganism  to  Christianity. — But  to  return  from  this 
digression. 

Relic-worship  is  carried  on  in  this  island  to  a  monstrous 
excess.  The  knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  after  their 
expulsion  from  Rhodes,  transferred  the  head-quarters 
of  their  half-religious,  half-military  order  to  this  barren 

*  A  Maltese  quack-doctor  of  the  name  of  Caruana  was  confined 
in  the  consular  prison  at  Damascus  for  nearly  three  months,  until  the 
consul  could  receive  advice  from  the  government  of  Malta  of  the 
manner  in  which  he  ought  to  be  punished  for  his  crimes.  Having 
obtained  by  an  affected  knowledge  of  physic,  a  footing  in  some  Turkish 
villages,  four  or  five  days' journey  distant  from  Damascus,  and  the  plague 
having  broke  out  there  during  that  time,  he,  in  order  to  increase  his 
gains,  was  discovered  throwing  by  night  the  infected  clothes  of  those 
that  died  into  the  houses  of  the  other  inhabitants.  The  ruffian,  not  con- 
tent with  the  number  he  killed  by  his  ignorance  of  medicine,  in  which 
he  pretended  to  be  skilled,  felt  no  scruple  in  infecting  the  other  inha- 
bitants ;  because  he  expected  to  be  called  to  their  assistance,  and  fill 
his  pockets  accordingly.  He  was  caught  in  the  act,  and  little  was 
wanted  that  he  was  not  torn  asunder  by  the  enraged  Turks.  There 
were  found  about  his  person,  when  taken,  various  valuables  pilfered 
from  houses  of  the  rich  inhabitants,  by  whom  he  was  consulted  as  a 
physician,  and  most  of  them  died  under  his  hands.  The  Turkish 
government,  not  having  the  power  of  punishing  him,  as  living  under 
British  protection,  had  him  escorted  to  the  British  consulate,  and 
loudly  cried  out  for  his  instant  execution ;  for  had  he  been  a  Turk, 
he  would  not  be  allowed  to  live  two  hours  after  his  conviction.  This 
same  fellow  was  nephew  to  the  present  bishop  of  Malta.  This  may 
serve  as  an  example  of  Maltese  roguery,  and  is  only  one  out  of  many 
equally  criminal,  which  I  could  give.  But  their  religion  and  the 
manner  they  are  taught  by  their  soul-killing  priests  are  in  fault,  not 
themselves.  The  same  fellow  would  find  absolution  for  the  muiders 
he  had  committed  from  monseigneur  his  uncle,  upon  his  return  to 
Malta. 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  227 

rock,  and,  with  it,  brought  also  all  the  most  revolting 
superstitions  of  popery.  Relic-worship  was  not  the  least 
of  these  ;  for  all  the  churches  built  by  them,  after  having 
been  confirmed  in  the  possession  of  the  island,  are  well 
supplied  with  a  plenteous  stock  of  such  trumpery.  The 
body  of  St. — ,  (I  don't  remember  his  name,  but  it  is  of 
little  importance,)  who  is  said  to  have  been  consecrated 
bishop  of  the  island  by  St.  Paul,  is  here  worshipped  by 
the  stupid  Maltese  with  the  same  ardour,  and  the  same 
unseemly  rites,  that  Spiridione  is  worshipped  at  Corfu. 

The  principal  church  of  Valletta,  the  capital  of  the 
island,  is  dedicated  to  St.  John  the  Baptist.  It  may  be 
supposed,  that  a  people  so  fond  of  idolatry,  and  more 
especially  of  that  branch  of  it  called  "relic-worship," 
Avould  not  want  for  some  relic  belonging  to  this  their 
favourite  saint :  the  supposition  is  perfectly  just,  for  they 
glory  in  the  possession  of  no  less  than  three.  They  osten- 
tatiously show  the  identical  sword  with  which  John  was 
beheaded  by  order  of  Herod  ;  three  of  his  teeth  extracted 
by  the  executioner  after  performing  his  office  ;  and  a  part 
of  the  camel  skin  (to  me  it  appeared  a  piece  of  the  un- 
tanned  skin  of  a  Maltese  ass,  a  very  fine  race  of  which 
are  bred  on  the  island)  with  which  he  was  clothed. 
These  relics  were  purchased  at  an  extraordinary  price 
from  the  pope's  relic-shop  at  Rome  by  the  knights,  who 
spared  no  expense  in  providing  whatever  might  be  deemed 
necessary  for  exciting  the  public  devotion,  on  which, 
more  than  on  the  force  of  their  arms,  they  relied  for  the 
favour  of  the  public. 

A  dish,  said  to  be  the  one  in  which  the  head  of  John 
was  presented  to  Herodias,  is  preserved  as  a  relic  in 
Teramo,  a  town  in  the  kingdom  of  Naples.  The  legend 
attached  to  this  relic  relates  that  an  immense  sum  of 
money  was  offered  for  it  by  the  knights  of  St.  John  of 
Jerusalem  in  order  to  transfer  it  to  their  church  at  Malta ; 
but  the  people  and  clergy  of  the  former  city  refused  to 
deliver  up  for  love  or  money  so  valuable  a  treasure  ;  "  for 
they  well  knew,"  sensibly  continues  the  legendist,  "  that 
the  safety  and  protection  of  their  city  depended  upon  the 
safe  keeping  of  it."     The  knights,  finding  that  they  could 


228  SIX   YEARS    IN    THE 

not  have  it  for  money,  sent  four  chosen  men  from  Malta, 
who  were  instructed  to  break  into  the  church  by  night 
and  carry  off  the  treasure  ;  being  promised,  if  they  suc- 
ceeded, a  great  reward.  They  were  taken  in  the  act  of 
breaking  open  the  iron  box,  in  which,  for  greater  security, 
it  was  kept,  and  being  carried  before  the  magistrates,  they 
confessed  the  whole  plot,  and  threw  all  the  blame  upon 
the  devotion  that  the  knights  of  Malta  had  to  any  thing 
belonging  to  their  holy  patron.  This  story,  if  true,  may 
be  a  guide  for  judging  of  the  estimation  in  which  the  three 
relics  they  already  possessed  were  held  by  the  knights  of 
St.  John,  and  of  the  immense  sura  they  most  have  given 
the  pope  for  them,  whereas  they  offered  so  much  money, 
and  went  to  so  much  trouble,  to  obtain  one  of  less  conse- 
quence, as  the  holy  charger  certainly  is,  when  compared 
with  the  three  teeth  of  St.  John,  not  to  mention  the  sword 
and  a  piece  of  his  holy  camel  skin. 

A  great  many  miracles,  noted  down  as  they  occurred 
in  a  book  kept  for  that  purpose,  are  attributed  to  these 
fictitious  relics,  which  are  supposed  by  the  superstitious 
Maltese  to  be  the  island's  safeguard  against  pestilence 
and  famine,  to  each  of  which  it  is  very  much  exposed ; 
to  the  latter,  on  account  of  its  dense  population  and  its 
.natural  sterility,  by  which  it  is  rendered  incapable  of 
supplying  the  inhabitants  with  corn  sufficient  for  the 
consumption  of  two  months  out  of  twelve  ;  to  the  former, 
by  reason  of  its  great  commerce  with  Turkey  and  Bar- 
bary — places  never  free  from  the  plague.  More  reliance 
indeed  is  placed  on  these  worthless  relics,  than  on  the 
protection  of  God,  and  on  the  strict  quarantine  regula- 
tions. By  these,  vessqjs  coming  to  Malta  from  suspected 
countries  are  subject  to  long  quarantines  ;  some  of  forty, 
some  of  fifty,  and  some  of  sixty  days  ;  while  others  in 
a  harbour  called  Marsamucetto,  set  apart  entirely  for 
this  purpose,  are  reprovisioned  and  sent  back  again  to 
sea,  without  being  allowed  to  land  at  all.  The  prudence 
and  foresight  of  the  English  governor  preserve  the  island 
from  the  other  evil — famine  ;  for  it  is  his  duty  to  provide 
a  supply  of  corn  sufficient  for  two  years,  in  case  of  a 
blockade.     This  corn  is  preserved  in  pits  or  fosses  made 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC.  229 

for  that  purpose  under  ground  in  some  of  the  principal 
streets  of  the  cities,  and  in  the  garrisons.  When  these 
precautions  keep  the  island  free  from  the  dreaded  evils, 
the  Maltese  do  not  attribute  their  preservation  to  the 
measures  taken  to  ensure  it,  but  rather  to  the  protection 
of  St.  John  and  his  relics ;  or  of  some  other  saint. 

I  have  been  informed  by  one  of  the  first  English  resi- 
dents on  the  island,  who  came  to  it  soon  after  it  wag 
evacuated  by  the  French — his  name  was  McKenzie,  a 
Scotchman,  since  dead — that,  during  the  pestilence  whicli 
raged  there  with  great  fury  in  1817,  and  carried  oft'  a 
great  number  of  the  inhabitants,  these  relics  and  the  de- 
pendence placed  in  them  by  the  superstitious  populace, 
was  the  cause  of  death  to  many  who  would  otherwise 
have  escaped  from  its  destroying  influence.  The  reason 
he  assigned  for  this  opinion  was,  "  because  the  pruden- 
tial care  of  not  coming  in  contact  with  one  another — the 
disease  was  transmitted  by  the  touch — was  entirely  ne- 
glected by  the  people,  who  assembled  in  crowds  to  pray 
before  and  touch  the  relics,  which  were  exposed  for  pub- 
lic worship  in  the  church  of  St.  John.  Some  viko  were 
already  infected  with  the  raging  malady  believed  that 
they  would  be  cured  by  touching  them  ;  while  others, 
still  in  health,  believed  that  the  touch  of  such  holy  mi- 
raculous things  would  preserve  them  from  all  infection. 
The  crowd  assembled  on  these  occasions  was  immense, 
and  filled  the  church  quite  full,  by  which  the  infected  and 
the  healthy  were  all  jumbled  together ;  and  therefore 
obliged  to  come  in  contact  with  the  clothes  and  persons 
of  each  other."  He  further  added,  "  that  the  touch  of 
the  relics  themselves  was  attended  with  infection  and 
afterward  death ;  for  very  few  who  were  once  infected 
ever  recovered.  The  relics,  being  touched  by  the  infect- 
ed, conveyed  the  fatal  malady  to  those  in  health  who 
touched  them  afterward,  under  the  belief  that  they  had 
the  power  of  protecting  them  from  that  evil,  which  per- 
haps they  would  have  escaped  had  it  not  been  for  their 
own  superstitious  confidence."  The  church  was  at 
length  shut  up  by  order  of  government  till  the  cessation 
of  the  pestilence,  it  being  found  by  experience  that  more 
21 


230  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

of  those  died  who  were  in  the  habit  of  frequenting  it 
than  any  other  class  of  people — a  striking  example  of 
the  efficacy  of  relics. 

The  church  of  St.  John,  besides  the  forementioned 
relics,  for  which  and  some  other  things  of  little  real 
value  it  is  held  in  so  great  repute  by  the  Maltese,  is  in 
itself  a  truly  beautiful  building,  and  possesses  many 
monuments  of  the  arts  worthy  of  a  better  fate  than  to  be 
made  the  ornaments  of  a  place  set  apart  for  the  profana- 
tion of  Christianity  ;  for  certainly  the  superstitious  rites 
and  ceremonies  practised  under  its  roof  cannot  justly  be 
called  by  any  other  name.  It  possesses  many  fine  paint- 
ings of  celebrated  masters,  procured  at  an  enormous 
expense  by  the  knights,  who  spared  neither  money  nor 
labour  in  decorating  this  their  favourite  church.  The 
marble  monuments  erected  to  the  memory  of  the  Grand 
Masters -of  the  Hierosolymitan  order  are  worthy  of  a 
place  in  the  Vatican  itself,  on  account  of  the  beauty  of 
execution  and  richness  of  design :  they  might  indeed 
have  afforded  subjects  for  study  to  the  great  Canova  him- 
self, fop^they  are,  in  the  opinion  of  competent  judges, 
master-pieces  of  sculpture.  Besides  the  cathedral  of  St. 
Giovanni,  there  are  other  churches  in  this  island  which 
would  be  thought  splendid,  nay,  magnificent,  if  situated 
in  another  place  where  they  might  not  be  outshone  and 
their  beauty  undervalued  by  a  too  close  comparison  with 
the  former.  All,  however,  are  equally  profaned  by  the 
idolatrous  rites  of  popery ;  and  are  more  esteemed  by 
the  inhabitants  for  possessing  some  miracle-working 
image  or  relic,  than  for  the  beauty  of  architecture,  or  for 
being  sacred  to  the  worship  of  the  Supreme  Being. 

During  my  late  visit  to  Malta,  in  the  year  1834,  an 
occurrence  took  place  there,  which,  for  its  absurdity, 
would  lead  one  to  imagine  that  the  reign  of  Vandalic 
ignorance  had  again  returned ;  and  which  fully  proves  that 
popery  is  the  same  in  the  nineteenth  century  that  it  was 
in  the  middle  ages — indeed,  its  boast  of  immutability  is, 
lamentably,  but  too  true,  for  it  preaches  and  practises  the 
same  doctrines  and  the  same  ceremonies  in  these  our  own 
times  that  it  has  done  in  former  times,  in  which  its  mon- 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC.  231 

strous  errors  gained  ground  on  account  of  the  general 
ignorance  which  then  reigned.  The  occurrence  to  which 
I  allude  is  no  other  than  the  translation  of  a  saint's  body 
sent  from  the  catacombs  at  Rome  into  one  of  the  principal 
churches  of  the  Citta  Vittoriosa,  a  town  opposite  Valletta, 
and  divided  from  the  latter  by  an  arm  of  the  sea,  which 
forms  the  principal  harbour  of  the  island.  The  rotten 
bones  of  which  this  body  was  composed,  were  purchased 
at  the  request  of  the  inhabitants,  who  collected  by  sub- 
scription the  necessary  funds,  for  the  purpose  of  enrich- 
ing by  their  presence  a  church  long  since  dedicated  to  the 
saint  in  whose  name  they  were  baptized;  and  which 
before  this  was  honoured  by  the  possession  of  only 
minor  relics  of  this  saint,  e.  g.  the  parings  of  his  nails, 
or  a  drop  of  the  water  in  which  his  feet  were  washed ; 
or  something  else  of  this  kind.  From  Valletta,  where 
it  was  first  landed,  packed  up  like  a  bale  of  merchandise, 
and  marked,  "  Corpo  Santo.  Mia  ciira  del  Reverendis- 
simo  Monsig.  Caruana,  jJrcives.  di  Rhoda,  e  Vescovo 
di  Malta  f  ("  A  holy  body.  Care  of  the  Most  Rev. 
Caruana,  Archbishop  of  Rhodes  and  Bishop  of  Malta,") 
it  was  carried  in  procession,  by  land,  a  distance  of  three 
miles,  whereas  the  passage  by  water  could  be  accom- 
plished in  five  minutes,  to  the  church  for  which  it  was 
destined,  accompanied  by  all  the  clergy,  secular  and 
regular  of  the  island,  with  lighted  torches  and  psalters  in 
their  hands,  and  attended  by  an  immense  concourse  of 
people  of  all  grades  and  conditions.  Upon  the  proces- 
sion's arriving  at  the  church,  the  sanctified  bones  were 
deposited  amid  the  firing  of  guns  and  acclamations  of 
the  multitude,  on  the  great  altar,  and  on  the  very  spot  of 
the  same  altar  set  apart  for  the  exposition  of  the  sacra- 
ment or  wafer,  which,  as  they  believe,  contains  within 
its  narrow  precincts  the  God  of  Christianity;  and  there 
set  up  during  three  successive  days  to  the  adoration  of 
the  stupid  multitude.  If  this  be  not  idolatry,  barefaced 
idolatry  too,  I  know  not  what  idolatry  is  !  Many  mira- 
cles were  said  to  have  been  performed  during  these  three 
days  by  touching  this  worthless  relic :  many  who  were 
bedrid  for  a  number  of  years  before,  were  said  to  have 


S;32  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

got  the  use  of  their  limbs  ;  some  obtained  sight ;  others 
were  freed  from  sickness  ;  and  all  attributed  their  resto- 
ration to  the  power  of  this  deified  filth. 

One  miracle,  that  made  more  noise  than  all  the  rest, 
being  unique  in  its  kind,  is  worthy  of  especial  notice.  A 
woman,  the  wife  of  one  of  the  wealthiest  men  in  the 
island,  found  herself  without  children,  though  married 
for  a  number  of  years — more  than  twenty.  She  was 
now  fast  approaching  to  that  time  of  life  in  which  all 
hope  of  oflspring  is  generally  abandoned.  This  was  the 
cause  of  no  small  uneasiness  to  herself  and  her  husband, 
who  lamented  the  necessity  of  leaving  their  property  to 
distant  relations,  on  account  of  having  no  children  of  their 
own.  Physicians  and  their  prescriptions  were  of  no 
avail,  though  constantly  consulted,  and  attended  to  by 
one  and  the  other.  Finding  that  they  were  nothing  the 
better  of  the  means  employed  for  obtaining  posterity, 
though  they  neglected  nothing  which  had  the  appearance 
of  being  useful,  they,  at  length  turned  to  implore  help 
from  on  high,  and  spent  much  money  in  paying  for 
masses  to  be  celebrated  according  to  their  intention.  On 
the  arrival  of  the  forementioned  holy  relic,  the  wife,  at 
the  instigation  of  her  confessor,  presented  some  twenty 
pounds  of  wax-candles  to  be  burned  before  it,  and  was, 
during  the  whole  triduo,  in  constant  attendance  at  the 
church  wherein  it  was  kept,  employed  in  prayer  before 
it.  About  two  months  afterward,  she  had  the  satisfaction 
of  being  able  to  console  her  husband  with  the  certainty 
she  had  of  becoming  a  mother  before  long.  Nor  was 
she  deceived,  for  it  became  shortly  after  manifest,  that 
she  was  really  and  truly  pregnant.  She  continued  her 
devotion  to  the  holy  relic,  and  made  no  scruple  to  publish 
to  the  world  the  favour  she  obtained  through  the  inter- 
cession of  the  saint,  and  by  the  touch  of  his  holy  body. 
She  presented  another  weight  of  candles,  and  spent  no 
small  sum  in  getting  masses  celebrated  at  the  shrine  of 
the  saint,  of  which  her  confessor  was  guardian  and  high- 
priestt  This  splendid  miracle,  for  such  it  was  universally 
acknowledged,  increased,  if  possible,  the  devotion  of  the 
people  toward  the  blessed  relic,  and  caused  it  to  be  held 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,   ETC  233 

in  greatest  veneration  by  all — especially  by  barren  women. 
Whether  the  woman,  in  favour  of  whom  it  was  perform- 
ed, was  safely  delivered,  and  had  the  happiness  of  pre- 
senting her  husband  with  a  son  and  heir,  or  otherwise,  I 
cannot  tell,  for  I  left  the  island  long  before  such  an  event 
could  happen,  according  to  the  ordinary  course  of  nature. 
This  only  I  can  affirm,  that  it  was  confidently  expected 
by  her  friends  and  relations,  whom  I  well  knew,  that  the 
child  with  which  she  was  enceinte,  would  be  something 
extraordinary,  and  would  make  itself  conspicuous  in  some 
way,  either  in  church  or  state — or  perhaps  in  both ;  for 
it  was  one  evidently  bestowed  by  heaven  to  the  prayers 
and  tears  of  a  devout  Christian  ;  for  such  the  woman  was 
esteemed,  and  such  she  was,  if  a  superstitious  reliance 
on  the  tenets  and  doctrines  of  popery — on  saint-worship, 
and  relic-worship — can  make  one. 

The  reader  may  form  his  own  judgment  on  the  fore- 
going miracle.  He  may  believe  it,  or  not  believe  it,  just 
as  he  thinks  the  circumstances  require.  I  have  related 
it  as  it  has  been  related  to  me,  and  have  deviated  very 
little  from  the  words  of  the  narrator,  who  was  one  of  my 
intimate  friends,  and  a  worthy  man,  though  unfortunately 
a  Maltese  priest,  and  a  firm  believer  in  such  absurdities. 
I  shall  only  remark,  that  the  confessor,  by  whose  advice 
the  lady  supplicated  the  assistance  of  the  relic  in  her  dis- 
tress, was  well  known  for  1iis  gallantries  among  his  ppni- 
tents,  and  had  been  suspended  for  a  long  time  from  his 
clerical  duties  by  his  bishop,  not  so  much  for  living 
in  incontinency,  as  for  living  so  openly ;  for,  indeed, 
Bishop  Caruana  himself,  unless  very  much  belied,  was 
not  over-chaste  in  early  life,  and  could  charitably  excuse 
the  failings  of  human  nature.  He  is  now,  however,  an 
old  man,  and  seems,  by  his  sanctified  deportment,  to 
have  forgotten  the  follies  of  youth,  and  to  be  making 
reparation,  if  he  had  ever  transgressed  his  vow  of  chastity. 
Some  freethinkers  of  Malta  had  the  hardihood  to  say, 
that  the  confessor  took  the  husband's  place  in  relation  to 
the  lady,  and  that  he  had  a  greater  share  in  performing 
the  miracle  than  the  holy  relic.  But  this  may  be  calumny, 
invented  by  those  freethinkers,  in  order  to  lessen  the 
21* 


234  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

child-giving  power  of  the  relic.  Let  the  reader  judge  ;  I 
have  stated  the  pro  and  con,  but  hazard  no  opinion. 

There  is  preserved  in  the  different  churches  of  Italy, 
and  other  popish  countries,  so  great  an  abundance  of  the 
milk  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  which  is  adored  and  worship- 
ped as  the  most  valuable  relics,  that  it  would  seem  im- 
possible that  one  woman  could  produce  so  much  during 
her  whole  life,  though  she  were  milked  daily,  like  a  cow, 
and  though  her  infant,  for  whose  sustenance  it  had  been 
given  by  nature,  had  never  tasted  the  smallest  drop  of  it. 
Yet  these  portions  of  what  is  called  the  Madonna's  milk, 
and  which  if  brought  together  would  form  a  mountain  of 
cheese,  sufficient  to  supply  a  cheese-eating  Welsh  family 
for  a  whole  winter,  are  said  to  have  flowed  directly  from 
the  breasts  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  and  to  have  been  bestow- 
ed by  herself  to  her  favourites  in  token  of  her  protection, 
and  of  her  continual  watching  over  them. 

It  would  be  needless  and  quite  uninteresting  to  the 
reader,  to  relate  the  ridiculous  fables  which  are  told 
concerning  the  benefits,  temporal  and  spiritual,  which 
had  been  granted  to  those  who  devoutly  knelt  down  be- 
fore and  kissed  these  relics ;  be  it  sufficient  to  observe, 
that  they  are  on  a  par  in  absurdity  with  the  other  lying 
wonders  by  which  the  church  of  Rome  has  catered  for 
the  applause  of  her  followers,  and  deluded  the  numerous 
victims  of  her  superstitious  practices.  England,  now 
happily  free  from  Romish  bondage,  had  also  herself  more 
than  her  share  of  this  kind  of  trumpery  before  the  re- 
formation. Besides  the  shrine  of  Thomas  a  Becket,  which 
was  noted  for  its  immense  riches,  and  for  being  the 
Mecca,  not  only  of  England,  but  of  surrounding  and  far 
distant  nations,  it  was  also  remarkable,  according  to  the 
testimony  of  Erasmus,  for  a  rich  and  splendid  shrine  of 
the  Madonna,  placed  at  a  village  called  at  that  time  a^. 
Mary^s,  near  Falmouth,  and  only  three  miles  from  the 
sea-coast.  This,  as  well  as  the  shrine  of  Thomas  a 
Becket,  and  the  other  rich  monasteries,  fell  into  the 
hands,  on  the  suppression  of  the  monastic  houses,  of  the 
wife-killing  Henry,  (as  Cobbett  calls  him,)  and  of  his  no 
less  rapacious  and  impious  courtiers  ;  the  same  as  if  the 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC  235 

hand  of  God  was  upon  the  wealth  amassed  through 
superstition  and  false  religion,  and  that  He  wished  to 
show  his  indignation  at  the  manner  in  which  such  riches 
were  collected,  by  allowing  it  to  serve  for  the  gratifica- 
tion of  the  avarice  and  other  evil  propensities  of  this 
royal  monster,  and  his  demoniacal  ministers — for  such 
they  were,  with  very  few  exceptions. 

Among  the  things  of  wonder  and  devotion  which  at- 
tracted numerous  pilgrims  to  this  temple  of  the  Madonna, 
near  Falmouth,  about  which  we  are  speaking,  was  a  relic 
of  the  Virgin's  milk,  renowned  for  miracles  and  prodi- 
gies. This  famous  relic  brought  in  no  small  gains,  from 
the  numerous  visiters,  to  the  nest  of  idle  monks,  who 
were  owners  of  it ;  indeed,  its  church  almost  rivalled 
Becket's  shrine  itself  in  riches,  and  in  the  number  of 
the  gold  and  silver  articles,  and  in  the  jewels  and  pre- 
cious stones  of  immense  value  which  it  possessed.  The 
story  of  the  manner  in  which  this  sacred  treasure  was 
obtained  is  thus  related  by  Erasmus. 

A  certain  pious  gentleman  of  the  good  old  times,  of 
the  name  of  Gulielmus,  (William,)  and  a  Frenchman  by 
birth,  rendered  himself  conspicuous  to  the  age  in  which 
he  lived  for  his  zeal  in  seeking  out  the  relics  of  the 
saints,  and  holding  them  forth  to  the  devotion  of  his  fel- 
low Christians.  Having  wandered  through  a  greater 
part  of  the  globe,  and  especially  the  regions  of  the 
east,  in  search  of  those  helps  to  salvation,  he  arrived  at 
last  in  Constantinople,  where  his  brother  held  the  office 
of  bishop.  Having  enjoyed  in  that  city  the  society  of 
his  brother  for  a  long  time,  he  was  on  the  point  of  re- 
turning to  France,  without  having  made  any  addition  to 
his  stock  of  relics,  when  he  was  surprised  with  the  joy- 
ful news  of  a  holy  virgin,  of  Constantinople,  having  in 
her  possession  a  portion  of  the  Virgin  Mary's  milk.  He 
now  esteemed  all  his  labours  at  nothing ;  all  his  other 
relics,  collected  with  so  much  trouble  and  expense,  of 
little  consequence,  unless  he  obtained  some  portion  of 
this  sacred  milk  to  add  to  their  heap  :  he  thought  this 
one  relic  of  more  value  than  all  his  other  relics  put  toge- 
ther.    At  last,  partly  by  entreaty,  partly  by  threats,  and 


236  SIX   YEARS   IN  THE 

partly  by  a  large  weight  of  gold,  he  obtained  a  portion 
of  it,  and  was  beatified  with  the  possession  of  this  esteemed 
and  so  eagerly  desired  treasure.  He  now,  in  his  own 
estimation  richer  than  Crossus,  hastens  home  with  the 
intention  of  depositing  the  fruit  of  his  labours  in  the 
cathedral  of  Paris,  his  native  city,  to  be  there  preserved 
as  a  safeguard  for  future  ages,  and  an  object  of  devotion 
to  posterity  ;  but,  alas  !  nothing  is  constantly  or  for  a 
long  time  prosperous  in  this  world  !  the  poor  man  died 
before  he  had  performed  half  his  journey.  When  he 
found  his  end  approaching,  he  called  to  him  another 
Frenchman,  one  of  the  companions  of  his  pilgrimage, 
and  deposited  in  his  hands  the  sacred  treasures,  and 
among  the  rest  the  Virgin's  milk;  conjuring  him  by  his 
friendship,  and  by  the  respect  due  to  the  memory  of  a 
faithful  companion,  to  carry  it  to  the  place  he  had  in- 
tended, if  his  life  had  been  spared,  that  is,  to  deposit  it 
in  the  cathedral  of  Paris ;  and  on  the  altar  dedicated  to 
the  Virgin  in  said  church.  To  make  a  long  story  short, 
as  story-tellers  say,  the  latter  died  also  before  his  arrival 
in  Paris,  and,  at  his  death,  was  obliged  to  confide  the 
treasure  to  the  care  of  an  Englishman,  another  of  his 
companions  ;  but,  with  many  entreaties,  he  made  him 
promise  to  do  with  it  what  it  was  his  own  intention  to 
have  done.  The  Englishman  lived  to  arrive  at  Paris, 
and  deposited  (mindful  of  the  entreaties  of  his  dead  com- 
panion, and  of  his  own  promise  to  him)  the  holy  milk 
on  the  Virgin's  altar  in  presence  of  the  canons,  who 
bestowed  him  half  of  it  in  reward  of  his  integrity,  and 
in  payment  of  his  trouble.  This  half,  by  the  inspiration 
of  the  Holy  Spirit,  he  carried  to  the  church  of  the  Canons 
regular  near  Falmouth,  where  it  was  preserved  till  the 
reformation.  What  became  of  it  after  that  period,  history 
is  silent ;  though  it  is  very  probable  that  when  the  monks 
were  obliged  to  change  quarters,  at  the  suppression  of  the 
monasteries,  it  was  borne  by  them  to  some  country  where 
it  would  meet  with  more  devout  worshippers  than  it  could 
possibly  expect  among  the  half-frantic  population  of  Eng- 
land at  that  period.  Erasmus  adds,  that,  lest  there  could 
arise  any  doubt  of  the  genuineness  of  the  relic,  there 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  237 

were  affixed  to  the  tablet,  on  which  the  foregoing  history- 
was  related,  the  names,  signed  by  their  own  hands,  of 
the  different  ecclesiastical  superiors  in  England,  and 
especially  of  those  belonging  to  the  monastery  of  the 
church  in  which  it  was  preserved.  An  indulgence 
also  of  forty  days  was  granted  to  all  the  faithful  who 
devoutly  visit  it,  and  bestow  a  small  gift  for  defray- 
ing the  expenses  attending  its  due  keeping,  that  is,  for 
candles,  oil,  &c.  to  be  kept  burning  before  it.  By  these 
small  gifts,  however,  it  arrived,  or  rather  the  monks 
arrived  at  the  possession  of  the  immense  treasures — the 
accumulation  of  ages — for  which  the  church  was  distin- 
guished, more  indeed  than  for  the  piety  of  those  to  whom 
it  belonged. 

It  would  be  needless  to  proceed  farther  with  the  in- 
quiry concerning  relics  and  relic-worship.  What  has 
been  already  said,  will  be  sufficient  to  show  to  the  reader 
the  manner  in  which  this  idolatrous  practice  is  upheld, 
and  the  barefaced  disregard  for  truth,  or  even  probability, 
for  which  its  advocates  distinguish  themselves.  I  shall, 
therefore,  pass  over  in  silence  the  numerous  pieces  of  the 
true  cross  ;  the  clothes  in  which  the  infant  Jesus  was 
wrapped^  when  born  ;  the  staff  of  St.  Joseph  ;  the  holy 
prepuce;  what  distinguished  the  gender  of  Balaam's  ass; 
the  nails  which  pierced  the  hands  of  our  Saviour ;  the 
crown  of  thorns ;  the  chains  with  which  St.  Peter  was 
bound  ;  in  fine,  all  the  other  objects  of  superstition  by 
which  the  Christian  is  turned  away  from  the  worship  of 
God,  and  from  trusting  his  salvation  to  the  atonement  of 
Christ,  in  order  to  place  it  upon  the  inventions  of  priests, 
whose  love  of  gain  excites  them  to  substitute  any  thing, 
and  show  any  way,  rather  than  that  pointed  out  for  man's 
salvation  in  the  divinely  inspired  volume. 


338  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Indulgences — When  first  granted — Leo  X.  publishes  indulgences-  • 
Form  of  indulgences — Language  of  indulgence-mountebanks — 
Extract  from  the  "  Tax  of  the  Sacred  Roman  Chancery" — Dispute 
between  the  Augustinians  and  Dominicans  —  Luther,  and  the 
reformation — Galileo  Galilei — Decline  of  indulgences  in  Italy — 
The  pope  grants  indulgences  ;  gratis,  because  he  could  find  no 
purchasers — The  Cruzada — Spaniards  obliged  by  the  secular  arm  to 
purchase  indulgences — Probable  income  of  the  pope  from  the  sale  of 
indulgences  in  Spain — Bishops  endowed  with  the  power  of  grant- 
ing and  selling  indulgences — Obliged  to  pay  an  annual  rent  to  the 
pope — A  bishop  suspended  from  his  functions,  and  confined  to  a 
convent,  by  reason  of  not  being  able  to  pay  the  pope's  rent. 

The  doctrine  of  indulgences  is  another  of  those  money- 
making  impositions,  by  which  the  church  of  Rome  main- 
tains her  sway  over  the  consciences'  of  Christians,  and 
entices  them  by  the  false  doctrine  of  the  vicarious  merits 
of  saints,  to  trust  their  salvation  rather  to  these  than  to 
the  all-sufficient  atonement  of  Christ.  Indulgences  may 
be  defined  "  a  remissioix  of  punishments  due  to^  sin,  ob- 
tained by  paying  a  certain  sum  of  money,  by  tvhich  the 
superfluous  goodivorks  of  the  saints,  that  is,  those  ivhich 
ivere  over  and  above  the  quantity  required  for  their  oivn 
salvation,  are  purchased  from  the  church.''''  These  good 
works  may  be  applied  by  the  person  purchasing  them, 
either  to  his  own  private  use,  in  remission  of  the  punish- 
ment due  to  his  own  sins,  or  they  may  be  applied  in 
suffrage  of  the  souls  of  his  friends,  suffering  in  the  not 
very  agreeable  region  of  purgatory. 

This  curious,  though  money-making  doctrine,  seems 
to  have  derived  its  origin  from  the  unscriptural  doctrine 
of  salvation  by  works.  According  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
Romish  church,  all  the  good  works  of  the  saints,  which 
were  over  and  above  those  required  for  their  own  salva- 
tion, are  deposited,  together  with  the  merits  of  Christ,  in 
one  immense  heap,  and  that  the  church,  i.  e.  the  pope, 
has  the  power  of  using  this  treasure,  and  of  opening  it  to 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  239 

those  who  are  willing  to  purchase  a  part  of  it  for  their 
own  souls,  or  the  souls  of  their  departed  relatives. 

The  invention  of  indulgences  seems  to  have  taken  place 
in  the  eleventh  century,  under  the  pontificate  of  Urban  II., 
who  granted  them  in  recompense  to  those  who  went  in 
person  upon  the  enterprise  of  conquering  the  Holy  Land : 
they  were  afterward  bestowed  upon  those  who  hired  a 
soldier  for  that  purpose,  and  in  process  of  time,  they  were 
given  to  those  who  contributed  money  to  any  purpose 
which  the  pope  may  have  at  heart  to  accomplish.  No 
invention  of  the  Romish  church,  perhaps  not  that  of  relics 
itself,  has  been  more  openly  abused,  and  made  the  source 
of  more  unhallowed  gain,  than  this  one  of  indulgences. 
Leo  the  Tenth,  in  order  to  carry  on  the  magnificent 
structure  of  St.  Peter's,  published  indulgences,  and  a 
plenary  remission  of  sins  to  all  who  would  in  any  wise 
contribute  money  toward  it.  Finding  the  scheme  to  turn 
out  well,  he  granted  to  Albert,  elector  of  Mentz,  and 
archbishop  of  Magdeburg,  the  benefits  of  the  indulgences 
of  Saxony  and  the  neighbouring  parts,  and  farmed  out 
those  of  other  countries  to  the  highest  bidders.  These, 
to  make  the  most  of  their  contract,  procured  the  ablest 
preachers  to  cry  up  the  value  of  the  ware.  The  form  of 
the  indulgences  was  as  follows  :  Dominus  noster,  Jesus 
Christus  misereatur  tui,  et  te  absolvat  per  merita  suae 
sanctissimae  passionis.  Et  ego,  ex  auctoritate  illius,  et 
sanctorum  apostolorum  Petri  et  Pauli,  et  Domini  nostri 
sanctissimi,  papae  mihi  concessa,  et  commissa  pro  his 
partibus,  absolvo  te  ab  omnibus  censuris  ecclesiasticis, 
quocunque  modo  incursis,*  et  ab  omnibus  deliclis,  et 
peccatis,  etiam  ab  his  reservatis  ad  peculiarem  sanctae  sedis 
cognitionem ;  tibi  remitto  omnem  poenam,  quam  in  pur- 
gatorio  pati  debes  propter  haec,  et  te  restituo  ad  partici- 
pationem  sacramentorum  sanctae  ecclesiae,  ad  unitatem 
fidelium,  et  ad  eam  innocentiam,  et  puritatem  quam  in 
baptisrao  possedisti :    sic  quum  morieris,  portae   inferni 

•  The  reader  ought  to  bear  in  mind  that  the  pope  has  also  the 
privilege  of  making  new  Latin  words.  The  above  barbarism  ("  in- 
eursis")  is  a  specimen  of  his  infallibility  in  grammar  Purgatorium 
is  another  popish  and  infallible  barbarism. 


240  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

claudantur,  et  paridisi  portae  aperiantur,  et  si  statim  non 
decesscris,  in  plen^  vi  gratia  hsec  tibi  remaneat  usque  ad 
mortis  articulum.  In  nomine  Patris  et  Filii,  et  Spiritus 
sancti.  Amen.  (May  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  have  mercy 
upon  thee,  and  absolve  thee  by  the  merits  of  his  most 
holy  passion.  And  I,  by  his  authority,  and  that  of  the 
blessed  apostles,  Peter  and  Paul,  and  of  our  most  holy 
lord,  the  pope,  absolve  thee  from  all  ecclesiastical  cen- 
sures, in  whatever  manner  incurred,  and  from  all  thy  sins 
and  transgressions  ;  even  from  such  as  are  reserved  for 
the  cognizance  of  the  holy  see.  I  remit  all  punishment 
which  thou  deservest  in  purgatory  on  their  account,  and  I 
restore  thee  to  the  holy  sacraments  of  the  church,  to  the 
unity  of  the  faithful,  and  to  that  innocence  and  purity 
which  thou  didst  possess  at  baptism,  so  that  when  thou 
diest,  the  gates  of  hell  shall  be  shut,  and  the  gates  of  para- 
dise shall  be  opened ;  and  if  thou  diest  not  at  present, 
this  grace  shall  remain  in  full  force  when  thou  art  at  the 
point  of  death.  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,     Amen.) 

In  a  book  called  "  The  Tax  of  the  Sacred  Roman  Chan- 
cery," in  which  are  contained  the  exact  sums  to  be  paid 
in  order  to  obtain  pardon  for  each  particular  sin,  the  fol- 
lowing curious  items  of  some  of  the  fees  are  to  be  found; 
For  procuring  abortion,     -         -         -         -       $1  90 
For  simony,         -         -         -         -         -         -2  60 

For  sacrilege, 2  60 

For  taking  a  false  oath,  in  criminal  cases,  -  2  2& 
For  burning  a  neighbour's  house,       -         -         3  00 

For  defiling  a  virgin, 2  25 

For  lying  with  a  mother,  sister,  &c.  -  1  90 

For  murdering  a  layman,  -  -  -  -  1  90 
For  keeping  a  concubine,  -  ~  -  .  2  60 
For  laying  violent  hands  on  a  clergyman,        -    2  60* 

*  This  curious  book  was  published  in  Oxford  at  the  time  of  the 
reformation  in  England,  It  is  now  very  scarce,  all  the  copies  being 
bought  up  by  the  emissaries  of  popery,  in  order  to  do  away  with  the 
evidences  of  the  iniquity  of  their  church.  There  is  a  copy,  however, 
preserved  in  the  Bodleian  library,  at  Oxford,  whence  Smith  has  ex- 
tracted the  above  to  insert  in  his  book  called  "  The  Errors  of  the 
Church  of  Rome." 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC.  24i 

The  terms  in  which  the  retailers  of  indulgences  cried 
up  their  efficacy,  and  the  manner  in  which  they  enforced 
the  necessity  of  purchasing  them  on  their  benighted 
audiences,  would,  were  it  not  tampering  with  immortal 
souls,  and  plunging  them  headlong  into  the  soul-destroy- 
ing gulf  of  false  reliance,  be  rather  a  subject  for  ridicule 
than  for  serious  comment.  The  mode  practised  in  Germany 
at  the  era  of  the  reformation  by  Tetzel,  the  Dominican 
indulgence-monger,  and  his  worthy  coadjutors,  would  be 
sufficient  to  excite  the  spleen  of  even  the  most  ignorantly 
attached  to  popish  superstitions,  and  therefore  there  is  no 
wonder  that  a  Luther  rose  up  against  them ;  one  who, 
as  his  after  career  made  manifest,  was  possessed  of  supe- 
rior talents  buried  in  the  mire  of  monkish  ignorance  and 
slavery  ;  and  who  perhaps  only  waited  for  the  favourable 
moment  to  free  Christianity  from  the  monstrous  absurd- 
ities with  which  she  was  weighed  down  at  that  period, 
and  with  which  she  is  still  weighed  down  in  whatever 
place  she  appears  in  the  meretricious  garb  of  popery. 
Robertson,  in  his  history  of  Charles  V,,  gives  the  follow- 
ing specimen  of  pulpit  eloquence,  employed  for  the  pur- 
pose of  disposing  of  this  new  kind  of  merchandise  in  the 
sixteenth  century:  "If  any  man"  (preached  the  indul- 
gence mountebanks)  "purchase  letters  of  indulgence,  his 
soul  may  rest  secure  with  respect  to  its  salvation.  The 
souls  confined  in  purgatory,  for  whose  redemption  indul- 
gences are  purchased,  as  soon  as  the  money  tinkles  in  the 
chest,  instantly  escape  from  that  place  of  torment,  and 
ascend  into  heaven.  That  the  efficacy  of  indulgences 
was  so  great,  that  the  most  heinous  sins,  even  if  one  should 
violate  the  Mother  of  God,  would  be  remitted,  and  expi- 
ated by  them,  and  the  person  be  freed  both  from  punish- 
ment and  guilt.  That  this  was  the  unspeakable  gift  of 
God  in  order  to  reconcile  man  to  himself.  That  the  cross 
erected  by  the  preachers  of  indulgences  was  equally  effi- 
cacious with  the  cross  of  Christ  itself.  Lo  !  the  heavens 
are  open ;  if  you  enter  not  now,  when  will  you  enter  ? 
For  twelve  pence  you  may  redeem  the  soul  of  your  father 
out  of  purgatory,  and  are  you  so  ungrateful,  that  you  will 
not  re.scue  the  soul  of  your  parent  from  torment  ?  If  you 
32 


242  SIX    TEARS   IN   THE 

had  but  one  coat,  you  ought  to  strip  yourself  instantly  and 
sell  it  in  order  to  purchase  such  benefits." 

By  such  impious  harangues  as  this  were  Christians 
led  astray  from  the  only  sure  way  of  obtaining  salvation, 
by  placing  their  hopes  and  confidence  on  the  atonement 
of  Christ,  and  directed  to  place  them  upon  the  absurd 
and  ridiculous  substitutes  invented  by  their  self-interested 
and  greedy  teachers  for  their  own  private  emoluments. 

The  state  of  the  popish  clergy  in  the  sixteenth  century 
must  have  been  wholly  abandoned  and  lost  to  every 
sense  of  religion,  when  such  impieties  were  not  resisted 
or  contradicted,  only  through  the  jealousy  that  one  order 
entertained  for  another — through  the  jealousy  of  the 
Augustinians  against  the  Dominicans.  It  is  evident,  that 
the  Augustinian  general  did  not  excite  his  subjects  to 
preach  against  the  Dominican  blasphemous  abuse  of  in- 
dulgences (if  indeed  abuse  can  be  applied  to  things  which 
never  had  any  proper  effectual  use)  for  any  better  reason 
than  a  hatred  of  the  latter  order,  and  the  envy  with  which 
his  mind  was  filled,  at  seeing  the  immense  sums  flowing 
into  its  coflTers  from  the  sale  of  indulgences  ;  and  by  no 
means  because  he  compassionated  the  many  immortal 
souls,  which  were  unawares  dragged  into  perdition,  by 
trusting  their  salvation  to  the  efficacy  imputed  to  such 
Irumpeiy  by  its  lying  and  antichristian  venders.  This 
enmity  against  the  Dominicans  was  likewise  increased 
by  a  sense  of  wrong,  that  he  considered  committed  against 
his  own  order ;  for  the  Augustinians  had  heretofore  the 
honour  of  being  the  pope's  agents  in  Germany,  when  his 
holiness  invented  any  thing  new  to  replenish  his  exhaust- 
ed treasury  at  the  expense  of  the  eternal  happiness  of  his 
deluded  followers.  This  agency  was,  on  the  publication 
of  indulgences  by  Leo  X.,  Avithdrawn  from  them  and 
granted  to  the  Dominicans  by  the  Archbishop  of  Magde- 
burg; by  which  were  sown  the  seeds  of  dissension  be- 
tween these  two  powerful  orders.  Little  did  monseigneur 
the  bishop  imagine  that  this  preference  shown  for  the 
Dominicans,  would  be  the  moving  cause  of  that  memora- 
ble revolution,  which,  in  the  end,  dissipated  the  clouds 
of  error,  with  which  the  pure  atmosphere  of  genuine 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  243 

Christianity  was  for  so  many  ages  covered  over,  and  by 
■which  it  was  rendered  pestilential.  Luther  rose  up  at 
the  command  of  his  general,  and  began  to  preach,  first 
against  the  abuses  of  indulgences,  and  then,  against 
indulgences  themselves.  The  latter  part  of  his  mission 
was  not  contained  in  his  letters  of  instruction,  and  there- 
fore he  incurred  the  displeasure  of  his  employer,  the 
general  of  his  order,  who,  however  he  might  be  excited 
by  envy  to  endeavour  to  supplant  the  Dominicans  in  the 
monopoly  of  indulgences,  had  not  the  least  wish  of  un- 
deceiving the  people  who  were  victims  to  the  imposi- 
tion. Indeed,  had  he  succeeded  in  transferring  the  sale 
of  them  from  the  Dominicans  to  his  own  order,  the 
people  would  be  nothing  the  gainers  by  the  change. 
"  Quicquid  peccant  reges,  plectuntur  Achivi" — which 
translated  into  modern  language  would  mean,  '^^  whoever 
dances,  we  must  pay  the  piper" — could  very  properly  be 
taken  as  their  motto  ;  for  whichsoever  of  the  rival  orders 
would  gain  the  ascendency,  and  become  sales-masters  of 
his  holiness'  wares,  the  wares  were  always  the  same, 
and  suffered  no  diminution  in  their  intrinsic  value,  or 
rather  no  value,  their  pernicious  qualities  being  the  same, 
when  sold  either  by  a  Dominican  or  an  Augustinian. 

Luther  was  ordered  to  retract  what  he  had  preached 
against  indulgences  ;  but  he  had  gone  already  too  far  for 
an  honourable  retractation  ;  he  therefore  boldly  threw  off 
the  cloak  under  which  he  had  hitherto  concealed  his  real 
opinions ;  being  unquestionably  an  instrument  in  the 
hands  of  God,  who,  compassionating  in  his  own  good 
time  the  forlorn  and  fallen  state  of  his  church,  deigned 
to  choose,  by  one  of  those  wonderful  and  unsearchable 
ways  of  his  infinite  wisdom,  from  the  very  propagators 
of  the  errors  with  which  she  was  polluted,  a  person  to 
dispel  those  errors,  and  make  vanish  before  the  face  of 
truth  the  flimsy  support  by  which  they  were  upheld,  and 
by  which  they  were  impiously  palmed  upon  his  people 
as  the  way  in  which  he  loved  to  be  worshipped.  All 
things  considered,  if  any  one  human  event  was  ever 
brought  about  by  the  direct  agency  of  the  Holy  Spirit, 
the  reformation  seems  to  be  that  one.    In  whatever  light 


244  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

this  glorious  event  be  viewed ;  whether  as  the  means  by 
which  the  human  mind  was  freed  from  the  bondage  in 
which  it  was  held  during  past  ages,  and  which  hindered 
a  Galileo*  from  exercising  his  natural  vigour  in  laying 

*  The  treatment  which  the  immortal  GaUleo  experienced  from  the 
machinations  of  the  court  of  Rome,  framed,  as  he  himself  expresses 
it,  "  by  three  most  powerful  engineers,  envy,  ignorance,  and  impiety," 
may  serve  as  an  example  of  the  blasting  influence  of  the  papal  breath 
over  every  thing  in  the  shape  of  improvement  or  amelioration,  and 
of  the  chains  in  which  the  human  mind  was  kept  by  the  influence 
of  a  court,  whose  head  the  pope  was  proverbially  known  for  his 
abhorrence  of  genius  and  literature.  Galileo  having  published  his 
system  of  the  world,  and  especially  his  discovery  of  the  earth's  motion 
round  the  sun,  the  cry  of  heresy  was  immediately  raised  by  the 
ignorant  monks  and  other  soi-disant  learned  savages,  that  surround- 
ed the  papal  throne  ;  among  whom  Ballarmin,  the  Jesuit,  and  Jesuiti- 
cal polemic,  rendered  himself  conspicuous  for  the  strength  of  his 
lungs,  in  crying  down  a  truth,  which,  with  all  his  school  chaotic 
knowledge,  he  could  not  understand.  His  preachers,  choosing  their 
text  from  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  "  Viri  Galilei,  quid  statis  aspicientes 
in  coelum,"  (Men  of  Galilee,  why  do  ye  stand  looking  toward  the 
heavens  !)  without  considering  the  sin  of  punning  upon  the  Divine 
word,  were  also  encouraged  by  him  to  denounce,  as  a  heresy,  what 
their  brutal  minds  were  incapable  of  understanding.  The  immortal 
author  was  summoned  to  Rome  by  Urban  VIII.,  to  stand  his  trial  for 
heresy ;  that  is,  for  promulgating  a  truth,  acknowledged  by  all  suc- 
ceeding ages.  Though  an  old  man,  and  of  an  appearance  so  venera- 
ble as  to  be  able  to  command  respect  from  a  synod  of  savages,  he 
was  placed  by  the  inquisitors,  worse  than  savages,  in  their  horrible 
dungeons,  and  treated  in  other  ways  with  the  greatest  barbarity.  After 
fifty  days'  imprisonment,  he  was  ordered  by  them,  even  without  hear- 
ing his  defence,  or  without  their  going  through  the  formality  of  attend- 
ing to  it,  to  abjure,  curse,  and  detest  (abjurare,  makdicere,  et  detest  are, 
are  the  express  words)  the  motion  of  the  earth,  of  the  truth  of  which 
he  was  so  intimately  convinced.  Thus,  because  his  stupid  godsJiip 
the  pope  says  "  the  earth  remains  firm,"  his  "  ipse  dixit"  must  have 
more  weight  than  the  convincing  arguments  to  the  contrary  of  a 
Galileo,  and  the  sun  must  move  round  the  earth  under  pain  of  ex- 
communication. After-ages  have  done  justice  to  Galileo,  and  even 
after-popes,  forgetting  the  honour  and  infallibility  of  their  predeces- 
sors, have  been  obliged  to  acknowledge  the  truth  of  his  system, 
which  is  now  publicly  taught  in  all  the  Italian  schools.  What  be- 
comes then  of  papal  infallibility,  when  facts  of  this  nature  stare  the 
reader  of  history  in  almost  every  page  ?  Popish  controvertists  will 
say,  "  0  !  that  is  not  fair,  for  we  claim  infallibility  for  his  holiness 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  245 

open  to  his  fellow  mortals  the  wonders  of  the  creation, 
and  thereby  increasing  their  love  and  adoration  for  the 
Creator ;  or  as  the  re-establishment  of  that  pure  form  of 
worship  which  God  vouchsafed  to  manilest  to  mortals, 
though  at  the  sacrifice  of  his  only  begotten  Son,  and 
which  condescension  and  goodness  on  the  part  of  God, 
and  obedience  on  the  part  of  his  Son,  were  rendered  of 
no  avail  to  obtain  the  ends  for  which  they  were  designed, 
through  human  inventions,  and  diabolical  substitutes ; 
whether,  in  fine,  the  reformation  be  looked  upon  in  either 
a  temporal  or  spiritual  point  of  view,  it  must  be  acknow- 
ledged from  its  consequences  so  fraught  with  benefits  to 
man,  that  the  finger  of  God  directed  its  beginning  and  its 
progress,  and  that  those,  who  bore  so  conspicuous  parts 
in  it,  acted  under  the  immediate  guidance  of  the  Spirit  of 
truth. 

Having  thus  taken  a  hasty  glance  at  the  rise  and  pro- 
gress of  indulgences,  and  at  the  blessed  event  which, 
through  their  univilling  agency,  was  brought  about  in 
the  sixteenth  century;  let  us  now  proceed  to  examine 
the  present  state  of  that  profitable  doctrine,  and  the 
manner  it  is  actually  carried  on  in  the  church  of  Rome. 
Indulgences  seem  to  have  lost  their  value  in  modern 
times.  The  light  of  pure  Christianity,  scattered  abroad 
by  the  endeavours  of  Protestant  missionaries,  and  the 
more  general  education  of  the  people  of  all  countries, 
except  those  in  which  popery  is  the  only  religion  tole- 
rated, by  which  I  mean  Spain  and  Italy  in  particular, 
have  tended  very  much  to  lessen  the  esteem  formerly 
entertained  for  this  new  method  of  obtaining  salvation, 
by  bringing  home  to  the  minds  of  the  people  its  inefii- 
cacy,  and  its  wide  discrepancy  from  the  way  marked  out 
in  the  revealed  word.  In  Spain  and  Italy,  however,  it 
is  still  a  very  profitable  doctrine,  and  fully  repays  the 

only  in  things  appertaining  to  religion,  and  not  in  those  belonging  to 
philosophy  !"  Don't  be  alarmed,  good  deceivers  of  mankind,  I  will 
push  my  argument  no  farther,  but  simply  ask,  calling  to  your  mind 
the  old  saying,  "  ne  sutor  ultra  crepidam,"  why  then  does  he  mingle 
in  things  which  do  not  appertain  to  him,  and  which  he  does  not 
understand  ] 

22*  I 


246  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

trouble  of  those  who  preach  it.  It  would  seem,  from  the 
very  cautious  manner  in  which  indulgences  are  preached 
now-a-days,  that  popery  has  at  length  learned  to  blush, 
and  that  the  grossly  overacted  systems  of  impostures 
have  at  length  been  judged  too  barefaced  by  their  very 
inventors.  While  ever  there  was  a  probability  of  catching 
any  one  in  their  nets,  the  preachers  of  indulgences  per- 
severed in  their  labours,  excited  thereto  by  an  insatiable 
thirst  for  gain ;  but  when  not  even  the  most  stupid,  in 
other  respects,  could  be  any  longer  duped  out  of  their 
money  by  paying  for  such  glaring  impositions,  then  in- 
deed they  thought  it  full  time  to  sound  a  retreat,  and 
hide  themselves  under  an  edict  from  the  pope,  by  which 
his  holiness  graciously  granted  indulgences  of  a  certain 
class  for — not  money,  for  he  found  he  could  get  no  more 
of  that — but  for  "  Pater-nosters  and  Ave  Marias,'''' 
alleging,  for  a  reason  of  this  benevolence,  that  the  sums 
required  for  the  object  specified  at  their  first  promul- 
gation were  already  made  up,  and  that,  therefore,  he 
was  unwilling  to  withhold  the  merits  of  the  saints  from 
those  who  were  unable  to  purchase  them,  and  who  panted 
after  their  efficacy.  What  a  charitable  being  his  holi- 
ness is  ! 

This  granting  of  indulgences  for  nothing  was  not  done 
without  design  :  indeed,  the  purpose  of  so  granting  them 
them  was  twofold  :  the  first,  and  principal,  lest,  by 
formally  abolishing  them  altogether,  which  would  be  an 
act  of  honesty  of  which  the  church  of  Rome  is  seldom 
guilty,  the  church  might  seem  to  have  erred,  in  having 
ever  started  and  made  an  article  of  faith  of  so  absurd  a 
doctrine  ;  the  second,  that  they  might  not  run  into  dis- 
use, but  remain  in  a  kind  of  inactive  vigour,  till  time  and 
some  happy  changes  in  the  dispositions  of  the  people 
might  make  it  advisable  to  resuscitate  them  from  their 
lethargic  inactivity.  This  gratuitous  granting  of  indul- 
gences was  only  in  force  in  the  states  immediately  sub- 
ject to  the  temporal  as  well  as  spiritual  control  of  Rome. 
These  states  were  the  first  to  cry  out  against  the  soul- 
killing  imposition,  because  they  saw  daily  before  their 
eyes  the  use  to  which  the  money  obtained  at  the  expense 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  247 

of  the  souls  of  Christians  was  converted  by  those  that 
obtained  the  division  of  the  booty — by  the  cardinals, 
monks,  and  prelates.  To  stop  their  mouths,  the  above- 
mentioned  edict  was  published  by  command  of  his  ho- 
liness, and  extended  to  other  countries,  according  as  such 
countries  began  to  decline  in  purchasing  the  indulgences, 
or  to  take  notice  of  their  inefficacy  for  obtaining  the  end 
for  which  they  were  published — redemption  of  souls  from 
purgatory,  and  remission  of  sin  in  this  world. 

The  sale  of  indulgences  is  continued  in  Spain  to  the 
present  time,  under  the  pretext  of  supporting  the  holy 
sepulchre  in  Jerusalem.  It  is  called  the  cruzada.  Per- 
mission is  granted  to  those  who  purchase  this  bull  for 
four  Spanish  reals,  to  eat  meat  every  day  in  the  year, 
lent  and  Fridays  included.  In  the  reign  of  the  late  tyran- 
nical bigot,  Ferdinand  VII.,  the  masters  of  the  posadas, 
or  innkeepers,  had  the  power  of  demanding  of  their  guests 
to  show  their  bulls  before  sitting  down  to  table,  and  if 
they  refused,  or  had  eaten  meat  without  being  pro- 
vided with  such,  they  were  liable  to  be  fined  or  impri- 
soned by  the  secular  arm.  Every  Spaniard,  especially 
those  who  were  constantly  journeying,  as  muleteers, 
pedlars,  beggars,  &c.,  had  small  pockets  made  in  their 
clothes  for  the  purpose  of  holding  their  bulls.  In  this 
they  resemble  the  rajahs,  or  subjects  of  the  grand  sig- 
nor,  who  are  not  Mahometans  ;  for  these  are  obliged  to 
pay  so  much  annually  to  the  government,  for  which  they 
obtain  a  kind  of  pass,  which  they  are  obliged  to  con- 
stantly keep  about  their  persons,  in  case  of  being  asked 
for  it  by  the  Turkish  officers,  and  not  being  able  to  pro- 
duce it,  they  are  immediately  imprisoned  and  fined — and 
bastinadoed  to  boot.  The  Spanish  Turk,  though  under 
a  weaker  pretext,  has  imitated  the  sultan  in  this,  as  he 
has  done  in  many  acts  of  tyrannical  injustice,  and  all 
under  the  sanction  and  by  the  advice  of  the  Christian 
mufti,  called,  by  Europeans,  "  His  Holiness,  the  Pope." 
The  income  derived  from  indulgences  sold  in  the  king- 
dom of  Spain  alone,  is  computed  at  five  hundred  thou- 
sand dollars  annually.  This  sum  is  sent  to  Rome,  to  be 
employed  by  the  pope  nominally  in  keeping  the  holy 


248  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

sepulchre  free  from  the  encroachment  of  infidek,  but 
really,  as  a  kind  of  Peter's  pence,  which  he  converts  to 
his  own  private  use,  or  spends  in  satisfying  the  avarice 
of  his  cardinals  and  courtiers.  As  much  more,  very 
probably,  is  kept  by  the  Spanish  monks,  and  by  those  to 
whom  the  sale  of  indulgences  was  granted,  in  payment 
of  their  trouble  ;  so  that  we  may  say  that  one  milUon  of 
dollars  is  wrung  from  the  hands  of  a  starving  population, 
under  pretext  of  supporting  Christianity,  of  obtaining 
remission  of  sin,  and  of  making  use  of  food  upon  which 
the  book  containing  the  precepts  of  Christianity,  or  its 
Divine  Author,  had  never  laid  any  restriction. 

The  same  way  of  extorting  money  was  attempted  to 
be  established  in  the  Roman  states  ;  but  not  with  equal 
success.  The  Romans  are  contented  with  the  indul- 
gences obtained  for  the  trouble  of  muttering  a  Pater-noster 
or  an  Ave  Maria  before  the  image  of  some  saint,  without 
spending  their  money  to  supply  luxuries  to  priests. 
The  higher  classes,  however,  in  order  to  keep  up  a  show 
of  obedience  to  the  church,  and  not  through  any  love  or 
respect  for  its  ordinances,  or  reliance  on  the  trumpery 
held  out  as  helps  to  salvation,  purchase  the  liberty  of 
eating  prohibited  meats.  Indeed,  the  Romans  in  general 
have  more  just  notions  of  the  value  of  these  things  than 
any  other  popish  nation  in  the  world  ;  and  if  they  had  the 
power,  I  am  confident  they  would  soon  free  themselves 
from  them  altogether.  But  they  are  kept  in  awe  by  the 
cannons  of  St.  Angelo  and  Austrian  bayonets  ;  and  are 
therefore  obliged  to  patiently  submit  to  evils  they  cannot 
prevent.  The  time  will  come,  however,  and  in  all  pro- 
bability it  is  not  far  distant,  when  the  former  masters  of 
the  world  will  be  freed  from  the  galling  trammels  of  their 
purple  tyrants,  and  show  to  the  world,  that  though  they 
may  have  lived  for  ages  under  their  rod,  yet  the  hereditary 
horror  of  slavery  is  not  entirely  extinct  in  their  breasts, 
though  it  may  have  been  rendered  torpid  through  inability 
to  exercise  it,  and  seem  smothered  under  oppression ; 
and  that  they  do  not  dishonour  the  glorious  name  of 
"  Romans"  left  to  them  by  their  warlike  ancestors. 
The  bishops  of  each  diocess  in  those  countries  where 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  249 

popery  predominates,  have  also  the  privilege  of  selling 
indulgences   attached    to   their   episcopal  office.      This 
privilege  is  understood  as  one  farmed  directly  from  the 
pope,  to  whom,  as  farmer-general  of  the  merits  of  Christ 
and  the  saints,  they  are  obliged  to  pay  an  annual  rent ; 
and  as  it  forms  one  of  the  it-ems  of  their  income,  they 
endeavour  to  cry  up  as  much  as  possible  the  value  of  the 
ware.     The  inferior  clergy  and  parish  priests  are  directed 
by  them,  accordingly,  to  inculcate  on  the  minds  of  the 
people  the  value  and  efficacy  of   indulgences,  and  the 
certainty  of  redeeming  from  the  tormenting  regions  of 
purgatory  the  souls  of  their  parents,  friends,  and  bene- 
factors,   by    purchasing   the   bulls    by    which   they  are 
granted.     Bishops,   who   are   ambitious  of  attaining  to 
higher  dignities  in  the  church,  or  who  are  desirous  of 
being  translated  from  the  poor  diocesses  to  which  they 
are  appointed,  to  richer  ones,  cannot  practise  a  better 
method  to  propitiate  the  court  of  Rome,  and  to  forward 
their  own    ambitious    and   avaricious   designs,  than  by 
sending  to  the  pope  large  sums  of  money,  under  pretext 
of  its  being  collected  by  the  sale  of  indulgences.     This 
species  of  simony  is  extensively   practised  by   popish 
priests  and  prelates,  and  perhaps  nine  out  of  ten  of  the 
bishops  who  are  set  over  diocesses  had  no  greater  quali- 
fication for  that  high  office  than  bribery  and  the  weight 
of  their  purses.     There  are  some  cases   on  record  of 
bishops  having  been  summoned  to  Rome  to  answer  for 
misconduct,   because   they   had   not  transmitted,  either 
through  inability   or  roguery,  the  usual  sum    annually 
required  at  their  hands.     If  they  should  plead  in  excuse 
that  they  were  unable  to  dispose  of  the  indulgences,  and 
that  their  flocks  were  either  unable  or  unwilling  to  pur- 
chase them,  they  are  immediately  answered,  "  that  they 
had  not  exerted  themselves  in  preaching  their  efficacy, 
for  otherwise  the  people  would  sell  every  thing  they  had 
iiV  order  to  become  possessed  of  such  inestimable  trea- 
sures." 

I  knew  an  old  Neapolitan  bish@p,  of  the  Capuchin  order, 
who  was  created  Bishop  of  Cotrone,  in  Calabria,  at  the 
request  of  the  King  of  Naples,  but  being  unable  to  pay 


250  SIX   YEARS  IN   THE 

the  accustomed  sum  annually  to  the  pope,  he  was  accused 
of  heresy  at  Rome,  and  confined  to  his  convent  at  Saler- 
no, for  the  remainder  of  his  days.  It  turned  out  afterward 
that  the  pope  Leo  XII.,  of  immortally  infamous  memory, 
had  sold  his  diocess  to  one  who  was  both  able  to  satisfy  his 
avarice  and  to  pay  regularly  the  stipulated  sums,  but  with 
little  disadvantage  to  himself,  for  he  obliged  his  flock, 
to  provide  themselves  with  indulgences,  whether  they 
liked  them  or  not.  Such  a  bishop  as  this  was  in  a  fair 
way  of  preferment  at  the  court  of  Rome,  while  the  poor 
old  Capuchin,  more  scrupulous,  perhaps,  (though,  indeed, 
few  of  that  order  are  troubled  with  scruples,)  was  sus- 
pended and  driven  from  his  diocess,  it  is  said,  on  account 
of  the  delicacy  of  his  conscience.  He  seemed  to  be  a 
very  worthy  old  man,  and  had  passed  through  the  differ- 
ent gradations  of  his  order  with  eclat.  I  was  present  at 
his  death,  in  the  Capuchin  convent  of  Salerno,  and  heard 
the  above  reason  assigned  by  one  of  the  monks  for  his 
disgrace  ;  but  whether  it  was  not  rather  through  indolence 
than  conscience  he  refused  to  preach,  or  cause  to  be 
preached,  the  doctrine  of  indulgences,  which  was  the  only 
way  he  had  of  making  up  the  pope's  tribute,  I  am  unable 
to  judge,  but  suspect  it  was  rather  through  the  former, 
especially  when  it  be  taken  into  consideration  that  he 
was  a  man  of  a  very  advanced  age,  and  therefore  incapable 
of  that  vigour  required  to  enforce  his  orders.  It  seems, 
also,  highly  improbable,  that  in  his  old  age,  the  work- 
ings of  conscience  would  oblige  him  to  finish  a  long  life 
of  preaching  and  practising  the  worst  tenets  of  Rome, 
with  a  denial  of  the  truth  of  such  tenets,  by  refusing  to 
exercise  himself  to  the  last  in  propagating  them :  it  is, 
in  fine,  possible,  that  he  had  been  touched  with  convic- 
tion of  their  fallacy,  even  at  that  late  period,  though,  in- 
deed, judging  from  daily  experience,  it  is  highly  improba- 
ble, and  if  it  be  true,  it  is  a  thing  unique  in  its  kind,  for 
men,  especially  monks,  generally  die  as  they  have  lived. 


MONASTERIES  OP  ITALY,  ETC       251 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Conscientious  bishops  —  Monsignor  Gondolfi  —  Maronites  —  Mon- 
signor  Gondolfi  sent  in  the  character  of  apostoUc  delegate  to  the 
eastern  churches — Decline  of  popery,  and  cause  of  that  decline, 
among  the  Maronites — Gondolfi's  instructions— Cunning  of  his 
holiness,  cloaked  under  a  love  for  the  souls  of  the  Maronites— Gon- 
dolfi's early  life— State  of  the  monks  attached  to  the  holy  sepulchre 
at  Jerusalem — Gondolfi  endeavours  to  reform  them — The  monks 
accuse  him  of  heresy  at  the  court  of  Rome— Obliged  to  be  on  his 
guard  against  the  machinations  of  the  monks — He  removes  to 
Mount  Libanus — State  of  the  Maronite  clergy  and  people — Distri- 
bution of  the  Scriptures  made  by  the  Protestant  missionaries  among 
the  Maronites — The  Maronite  clergy  accuse  Gondolfi  at  Rome — 
He  is  recalled,  but  refuses  to  obey — He  is  expelled  from  the  con- 
vent— Arrival  of  his  successor — Bibles  burned  by  thousands— Gon- 
dolfi is  poisoned  by  a  Maronite  priest— The  Maronites  report  that 
his  death  was  caused  by  the  vengeance  of  God — Indulgences  for 
committing  sin— Alexander  VI.— Massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew— 
Fra  Paolo — Curious  theological  disquisition. 

There  are,  however,  some  bishops — and  it  is  to  be 
lamented  that  they  are  so  few — whose  consciences  are 
not  "  seared  ivith  a  hot  iron,""  and  who  endeavour,  as  far 
as  they  can  do  it  without  danger  to  themselves,  to  lead 
those  committed  to  their  charge  through  the  gospel  path 
of  salvation,  and  to  preach  more  frequently  the  doctrines 
of  Christ  than  the  doctrines  of  men.  These  lay  little 
stress  on  the  value  of  indulgences,  and  other  popish  in- 
ventions, though  they  are  obliged  to  keep  private  their 
aversion  for  such  trumpery,  lest  they  might  incur  the  dis- 
pleasure of  the  pope  and  his  myrmidons.  Whenever  it 
is  discovered  that  they  teach  their  flock  to  place  greater 
reliance  on  Christ  and  his  merits,  than  on  the  pope  and 
his  saints  ;  and  when  the  deficit  in  their  annual  returns 
for  the  sale  of  indulgences  proves  their  little  zeal  in  preach- 
ing them ;  (though  such  as  wish  to  remain  in  favour  with 
Rome,  make  up  the  required  sum  from  their  own  private 
income,  if  they  be  rich  enough  ;)  they  are  then  accused 
of  heresy,  like  the  old  Capuchin  bishop  mentioned  above, 


258  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

and  if  their  persons  be  in  the  immediate  power  of  the 
pope,  they  are  inqiiisitioned,  that  is,  they  are  hurled  into 
the  dungeons  of  that  horrid  tribunal.  Indeed,  bishops  of 
this  description  are  popish  only  in  name,  and  generally 
oppressed  by  the  overwhelming  power  of  papal  influence, 
long  before  an  opportunity  presents  of  being  of  any  per- 
manent service  to  the  cause  of  Christ.  They  want  but 
the  opportunity  to  become  zealous  Christian  pastors ; 
and  had  their  lot  been  cast  in  other  countries  than  those 
groaning  under  papal  bondage,  they  would  exhibit  them- 
selves true  and  faithful  preachers  of  the  gospel  of  salva- 
tion, and  be  inestimable  blessings  to  the  people  among 
which  they  might  be  placed.  As  it  is,  such  as  are  of  this 
class — and,  perhaps,  one  out  of  a  hundred  may  be  found — 
and  not  more — they  endeavour,  as  far  as  they  can  without 
personal  danger,  to  preach  Christ  and  Him  crucified  to 
their  people,  to  lay  open  to  them  the  hopes  of  salvation 
as  written  in  the  book  of  life,  and  to  leave  the  peculiar 
doctrines  of  popery  (which,  if  their  real  opinions  were 
known,  they  would  be  found  to  consider  antichristian) 
in  the  background,  or  pass  them  over  as  unworthy  of 
notice. 

The  Italian  missionary  bishop,  Monsignor  Gondolfi, 
who  was  sent  by  the  pope,  in  the  character  of  "  apostolic 
delegate,"  to  the  churches  of  the  Maronites,*  and  other 

*  A  sect  of  eastern  Christians,  who  follow  the  Syrian  rite,  and 
who  submitted  to  the  papal  yoke  in  1 182.  They  are  called  Maronites 
from  Maro,  their  first  bishop,  who,  it  is  supposed  by  some  ecclesiasti- 
cal writers,  was  a  strenuous  defender  of  the  doctrine  of  the  Monothe- 
lites,  or  those  who  allowed  but  one  will  in  Jesus  Christ,  (from  ixovov, 
alone,  single,  deXniia,  will,)  and  who,  flying  from  the  convent  of  St. 
Maro,  situated  upon  the  borders  of  the  Orontes,  came  to  Mount 
Libanus,  and  instructed  the  inhabitants  in  that  doctrine.  The  modem 
Maronites  endeavour  to  contradict  this  general  opinion,  and  to  main- 
tain, that  their  ancestors  had  always  lived  in  obedience  to  the  see  of 
Rome,  and  had  always  held  the  doctrines  established  as  orthodox  by 
that  church.  But  their  arguments  seem  very  weak  in  support  of  that 
claim,  for  the  united  testimonies  of  many  historians,  well  acquainted 
with  the  subject,  and  who  had  recourse  to  most  authentic  records, 
fully  prove  that  they  were  not  only  formerly  Monothelites,  but  also 
held  that  doctrine  down  to  the  time  of  submitting  themselves  to  the 
authority  of  Rome,  in  the  twelfth  century.     Mosheim  tells  us,  "  that 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  253 

popish  churches  on  Mount  Libanus,  may  serve  as  an  ex- 
ample of  a  virtuous,  conscientious  man,  struggling  against 
popish  delusions,  and  endeavouring  to  direct  the  people 
to  whom  he  was  sent,  to  Christ  for  salvation,  and  not  to 
the  pope,  and  his  impositions.  The  story  of  this  worthy 
man  I  learned  at  Smyrna,  Asia  Minor,  from  those — 
chiefly  Protestant  missionaries — who  were  personally 
acquainted  with  him,  and  who  to  this  day  lament  his 
untimely  death,  caused,  as  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel,  by 
the  machinations  of  Rome. 

Monsignor  Gondolfi  was  commissioned,  by  the  court 
of  Rome,  to  proceed  to  the  east,  under  the  title  of 
*'  dehgato  apostolico,^^  or  apostolic  delegate.  His  im- 
plied duty  was  to  take  care  of  the  interests  of  the  church 
of  Rome  in  that  quarter,  and  to  impress  upon  the  minds 
of  the  inhabitants  the  peculiar  doctrines  of  that  church, 

the  Maronites  stipulated  to  submit  themselves  to  the  spiritual  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  church  of  Rome,  under  the  express  condition  that  neither 
the  pope,  nor  his  emissaries,  should  attempt  to  abolish,  or  change, 
any  thing  that  related  to  their  ancient  rites,  or  religious  opinions  ;  so 
that,  in  reality,  there  is  nothing  to  be  found  among  them  that  savoura 
of  popery,  excqit  their  attachment  to  the  Roman  pontifl'"  This  may 
have  been  very  true  in  the  days  of  Mosheim,  but  it  is  evident  from 
the  relation  of  modern  travellers  and  missionaries,  that  the  Maronites, 
novr-a-days,  are  thorough  papists,  whether  regarded  in  their  supersti- 
tious observances  of  popish  doctrines  and  usages,  or  in  their  servile 
adherence  to  the  purple  tyrant  of  the  western  churches.  There  are 
some  Maronites,  however,  in  Syria,  who  still  behold  the  church  of 
Rome  with  aversion,  and  some  of  that  nation,  residing  in  Italy,  have 
been  known  to  oppose  the  pope's  authority  in  the  last  century,  and  to 
unite  themselves  to  the  Waldenses,  in  the  valleys  of  Piedmont ;  while 
others,  to  the  number  of  six  hundred,  with  a  bishop  and  several 
ecclesiastics  at  their  head,  fled  into  Corsica,  and  implored  the  protec- 
tion of  the  republic  of  Genoa,  against  the  violence  of  the  inquisitors. 
The  patriarch  of  the  Maronites,  who  is  always  called  Peter,  as  if  he 
claimed  to  be  the  lawful  successor  of  that  apostle,  lives  in  the  monas- 
tery of  Cannubin,  on  Mount  Libanus.  He  is  elected  by  the  clergy 
and  the  people,  though  since  their  subjection  to  the  church  of  Rome, 
he  is  obliged  to  have  a  bull  of  confirmation  from  the  pope.  There 
are  innumerable  monasteries  of  Maronite  monks  on  Mount  Libanus, 
and  in  other  parts  of  Syria;  all  distinguished,  like  their  western 
brethren,  for  their  abominable  superstitions,  supine  ignorance,  and 
last,  not  least,  for  their  endeavours  to  increase  the  general  ignorance 
of  the  people,  and  to  enrich  themselves  at  their  expense. 
33 


254  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

which,  as  was  complained  of  by  the  Maronite  clergy, 
were  fast  losing  ground,  through  the  exertions  of  Pro- 
testant missionaries,  and  the  distribution  of  the  Scriptures 
made  by  them.  He  was  instructed  to  warn  the  people 
against  the  light  of  the  gospel,  shed  abroad  by  the  labours 
of  those  missionaries,  and  to  bring  them  back,  if  possible, 
to  the  state  of  darkness  and  irreligion  in  which  they  werfe 
prior  to  their  labours  among  them.  The  Maronite  priests 
and  monks  were  to  be  considered  as  the  more  especial 
object  of  his  mission  ;  these  he  was  to  exhort  and  en- 
courage to  be  constant  and  persevering  in  preaching  the 
popish  doctrines,  and  in  leading  the  people  to  a  blind 
reliance  on  them  for  salvation.  As  a  stimulus  to  their 
zeal,  he  was  supplied  by  his  holiness  with  a  camel  load 
of  bulls,  containing  indulgences  enough  to  wash  Mahomet 
liimself  from  his  sins,  if  the  Arab  prophet  could  be  sup- 
posed foolish  enough  to  place  any  reliance  upon  them. 
These  bulls,  he  was  at  liberty  to  dispose  of  to  the  monks, 
and  other  priests,  of  Mount  Libanus,  at  a  ,very  low  price 
— so  much  per  hundred — who  could  afterward  retail 
them  at  higher  rates  to  the  people,  and  thus  be  gainers 
by  the  speculation.  His  instructions  even  went  farther : 
for  if  he  found  the  clergy  unable,  or  unwilling,  to  pur- 
chase the  indulgences,  he  was  commanded  to  give  them 
at  first  cost,  and  for  what  they  are  really  worth — nothing. 
By  this  policy,  the  pope  hoped  to  get  rid  of  his  superflu- 
ous stock  of  indulgences,  which  he  very  prudently  con- 
sidered it  more  advantageous  to  dispose  of  at  half  price, 
or  even  for  what  they  cost  himself — nothing, — than  to 
have  them  lying  as  useless  lumber  on  his  hands,  and 
also,  he  was  certain  of  one  good  eff'ect  proceeding  from 
thus  disposing  of  them,  for  he  would  thereby  enlist  the 
avarice  of  the  Maronite  priests  in  support  of  his  authority, 
who  would  be  obliged,  while  making  sale  of  them  to  the 
people,  and  crying  up  their  value,  to  mingle  the  authority 
of  himself — the  granter  of  them — with  the  praises  of  their 
efficacy. 

This  attempt  to  revive  the  dying  superstitions  of  the 
Maronites  was  very  well  planned,  and  would  very  pro- 
bably have  had  the  desired  success,  had  the  man  selected 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  255 

for  carrying  it  into  execution  remained  faithful  to  the 
trust  reposed  in  him ;  and  which  he  could  not  do,  unless, 
at  the  same  time,  he  wished  to  remain  unfaithful  to  God, 
and  the  dictates  of  his  own  conscience ;  for  no  one  can 
serve  two  masters,  God  and  mammon — God  and  the 
pope.  Monsignor  Gondolfi  then  chose  the  better  part, 
and  preferred  the  service  of  God  to  the  service  of  God's 
enemy ;  in  fine,  he  chose  rather  to  be  faithful  to  God, 
though  at  the  same  time  he  exposed  himself  to  the 
machinations  of  that  church,  which  has  long  since  dyed 
her  garments  in  the  blood  of  God's  people,  and  which,  a 
short  time  after,  added  him  to  the  number  of  those,  who, 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  will  be  crying  out  for  vengeance 
against  her — their  murderer.  He  had,  long  before  his 
appointment  to  the  eastern  mission,  lamented  the  fallen 
state  of  the  Romish  church,  and  the  innumerable  absurd 
doctrines  palmed  upon  the  people  by  that  church,  as  the 
essential  and  component  parts  of  Christianity.  Born  of 
humble  parents,  with  property  barely  sufficient  to  give 
himself  and  his  brother  (an  eminent  physician,  still  liv- 
ing, I  believe,  at  Damascus)  a  liberal  education,  he  early 
distinguished  himself  among  his  equals  for  his  talents 
and  acquirements,  and  attracted  the  notice  of  a  cardinal, 
whose  name  I  do  not  now  recollect,  who  was  his  patron 
and  friend  during  life  ;  moved  thereto,  not  by  the  adven- 
titious circumstances  of  rank  or  riches,  but  by  the  in- 
herent merits  of  young  Gondolfi.  Through  his  patronage 
and  protection,  he  was,  at  an  early  age,  created  a  prelate 
of  the  Romish  church,  having  first  rendered  himself  dis- 
tinguished in  most  of  the  Italian  pulpits,  for  his  eloquence 
and  preaching.  He  was  at  his  fiftieth  year  made  '■^Epis- 
copus  inpartibus,''''  or  a  bishop  in  pagan  countries,  and 
soon  afterward  appointed  to  the  eastern  mission.  Long 
before  his  departure  from  Rome  for  Syria,  he  had  made 
up  his  mind  to  do  his  utmost  in  reforming  the  abuses  of 
the  church  of  Rome,  and  was  predetermined  to  follow 
the  gospel  as  his  guide,  and  to  preach  Jesus  Christ  and 
not  the  pope,  to  the  people  over  whom  he  might  be 
placed  in  authority.  It  is  even  said,  that  he  meditated 
a  journey  to  Switzerland,  and  under  the  protection  of  the 


256  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

Swiss  government,  was  determined  to  openly  show  his 
detestation  for  popery,  but  that  his  appointment  as  dele- 
gate to  Syria  prevented  him  putting  into  execution  that 
design,  for  he  considered  that  he  would  have  a  w^ider 
field  for  propagating  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  among 
the  Maronites,  and  other  inhabitants  of  that  region,  than 
he  possibly  could  expect  to  have  in  Switzerland,  which 
was  already  blessed  with  many  faithful  preachers  of  the 
gospel. 

Upon  his  arrival  at  Jerusalem,  which  city,  according 
to  his  instructions,  he  was  first  to  visit,  he  opened  his 
commission,  not  by  producing  the  bulls  and  indulgences 
with  which  his  holiness  had  armed  him,  and  which, 
perhaps,  sanctified  the  belly  of  some  fish,  and  gave  it  a 
passport  to  the  pope's  heaven,  as  he  very  probably 
threw  them  overboard,  as  a  useless  encumbrance,  long 
before  his  landing — but  by  openly  avowing  his  determi- 
nation of  using  the  authority  bestowed  him  in  reforming 
the  lives  of  the  idle,  indolent,  atheistical  monks,  chiefly 
Spanish  and  Italian,  who  had  convents  in  the  holy  city, 
under  pretext  of  serving  and  officiating  at  the  holy 
sepulchre. 

The  lives  of  these  monks  were,  and  still  are,  scandalous 
in  the  extreme.  Far  removed  from  the  control  of  their 
superiors,  they  gave  themselves  up  entirely  to  the  gratifi- 
cation of  their  passions,  regardless  of  the  scandal  and 
bad  example  which  they  were  showing  to  Mahometans, 
Jews,  and  other  infidels,  for  whose  instruction  they  were 
sent  thither.  Their  whole  care  was  in  amassing  money; 
not  knowing  the  day  they  would  be  recalled  to  Spain,  or 
Italy,  by  their  different  superiors,  they  made  an  unhal- 
lowed gain  of  the  things  of  the  holy  sepulchre ;  which, 
by  the  way,  is  rendered  cursed  and  polluted  by  them — if, 
indeed,  the  precise  spot  in  which  the  body  of  our  Saviour 
Avas  deposited,  be  known  at  all ; — they  practised  their 
impositions  on  the  unfortunate  pilgrims,  whom  the  derlion 
of  superstition  leads  to  visit  that  city,  in  hopes  of  obtain- 
ing some  temporal  or  spiritual  benefit ;  and  spend,  either 
on  the  spot,  in  carousals,  or  something  worse,  or  hoard 
up  to  spend,  with  more  refinement,  on  their  return  to 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC  257 

their  own  countries,  the  money  gained  from  such  imposi- 
tions. With  these  demons,  in  the  dress  of  monks,  had 
Gondolfi  to  combat,  and  restrain.  He  had  before  some 
knowledge  of  the  scandalous  lives  they  led,  but  had  no 
idea  of  their  being  so  monstrously  wicked  as  he  found 
them.  He  began  by  obliging  them  to  preach  daily  to  the 
pilgrims — a  custom  long  since  forgotten  by  them— by 
keeping  them  more  within  doors,  and  by  prohibiting 
the  sale  of  those  things  to  which  popular  superstition, 
excited  by  priestcraft,  had  attributed  some  imaginary 
value.  He  preached  himself  constantly,  and  his  theme 
was — not  the  value  of  relics,  the  virtue  of  pilgrimages, 
the  power  of  the  priests — but  the  death  of  Christ,  by 
■which  all  men  were  freed  from  sin;  a  subject  to  which 
the  place  itself  added  redoubled  force.  In  the  mean 
time,  the  monks,  enraged  at  having  a  stop  put  to  their 
nefarious  practices,  and  feeling  the  loss  accruing  from  the 
prohibition  of  the  sale  of  their  fictitious  relics  of  Christ, 
consulted  with  one  another,  and  concluded,  that  the  only 
way  they  had  of  recovering  their  lost  privileges,  was  to 
endeavour  to  bring  about  the  disgrace  of  their  persecutor, 
Gondolfi.  With  this  intent,  they  immediately  despatched 
a  letter  to  Rome,  signed  by  all,  as  a  body,  wherein  they 
accused  Gondolfi  of  heresy,  and  of  a  wish  to  subvert  the 
Roman  Catholic  religion  in  Jerusalem  ;  they  added,  that 
he  openly  despised  the  holy  places,  and  exhorted  the 
pilgrims,  who  came  to  visit  them  through  devotion,  not 
to  place  any  trust,  or  put  confidence  in  the  various 
objects  of  devotion  which  were  pointed  out  to  them  by 
the  monks,  and  to  each  of  which  were  attached  indul- 
gences, granted  by  the  supreme  pontiff,  to  those  pilgrims 
who  devoutly  worship  them,  and  leave  a  sum  of  money 
for  their  better  keeping.  The  latter  part  of  their  accusa- 
tion had  some  foundation  in  truth  ;  perhaps,  indeed,  the 
accusation  was  wholly  true,  though  Gondolfi  did  not 
manifest  immediately  the  design  already  formed,  of  un- 
dermining the  pope's  authority  in  the  Holy  Land :  he 
however  showed  an  open  indifference  for  the  sacred 
places,  and  hardly  had  the  curiosity  of  a  common  traveller 
in  examining  them  ;  being  unwilling,  no  doubt,  to  give 
23* 


258  SIX.   YEARS    IN    THE 

in  his  own  person  an  example  of  devotion  to  things 
which  he  considered,  in  themselves,  as  neither  bad  nor 
good,  but  perverted  into  the  former  by  those  who  wished 
to  make  them  the  means  of  deceiving  others,  and  of  sup- 
plying themselves  with  all  the  luxuries  possible  to  be 
found  in  the  luxurious  country  they  were  living  in. 

After  remaining  about  two  months  in  Jerusalem,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  laboured  with  the  greatest  diligence  in 
bringing  about  the  reform  of  the  monks,  and  in  endeavour- 
ing to  keep  them  within  the  bounds  of  common  decency, 
though  at  the  greatest  peril  of  his  life ;  being  obliged 
through  fear  of  being  poisoned — a  no  unfrequent  practice 
with  monks  against  those  who  endeavour  to  Christianize 
them — to  be  cautious  of  using  any  food,  unless  that  pur- 
chased and  prepared  by  his  own  servant ;  he  removed  to 
the  Maronite  convent  of  Cannubin,  where  the  patriarch 
resided,  and  was  received  by  him  with  those  marks  of 
honour  and  respect,  usually  bestowed  upon  one  of  his 
high  clerical  dignity,  and  on  the  office  he  held,  as  delegate 
from  the  church  of  Rome.  He  here  had  to  commence 
his  labours  anew,  for  though  he  did  not  find  the  Maronite 
clerffy  so  shamefully  wicked  as  he  had  found  the  western 
monks  in  Jerusalem,  he  yet  found  them  sunk  into  the  most 
degraded  state  of  ignorance  and  superstition,  some  priests 
being  scarcely  able  to  read  the  missal,  not  to  say,  under- 
stand it,  while  others  were  unacquainted  with  the  first 
principles  of  Christianity.  They  had  made  extensive 
additions  to  the  fictitious  helps  to  salvation,  which  they 
were  taught  by  those  of  their  body  who  studied  at  Rome. 
Their  whole  religion  consisted  in  a  reiteration  of  Syriac 
prayers,  which  they  did  not  understand,  in  prayers  and 
adorations  of  images  and  relics,  and  in  fasting  and  abstain- 
ing from  certain  meats  during  a  great  part  of  the  year. 
Those  of  the  secular  clergy  who  were  married  (for  the 
pope,  not  being  able  to  prevent,  granted  them  the  privilege 
of  having  wives)  were  usually  employed  in  some  handi- 
craft trade,  endeavouring  to  earn  a  subsistence  for  their 
families  ;  totally  neglectful  of  every  thing  appertaining  to 
the  duty  of  a  clergyman.  In  fine,  according  to  his  own 
words,  expressed  to  a  Protestant  missionary,  with  whom 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  259 

he  formed  an  acquaintance,  "  he  found  more  religion, 
and  a  juster  notion  of  the  worship  of  God,  among  their 
neighbours  the  Druses,  who  are  supposed  to  be  semi- 
Mahometan  and  semi-heathen,  than  among  the  Maronite 
clergy,  who  are  called  Christians/^  If  then  so  deplora- 
ble be  the  state  of  the  clergy,  what  must  that  of  the 
people  be  ?  Some  of  the  people  were  not  entirely  so 
fallen  as  the  generality  of  their  priests,  thanks  to  the 
labours  of  the  Protestant  missionaries  among  them,  and 
to  the  distribution  of  copies  of  the  Scriptures,  or  detached 
portions  of  the  New  Testament,  especially  the  gospels, 
made  by  them.  Such  of  the  people  as  were  able  to  read, 
and  received  these  books,  were  Christians  in  some  sense, 
and  a  great  many  of  them  were  even  pious  and  devoted 
ones ;  but  then  they  rendered  themselves  objects  of  per- 
secution to  their  fanatical  neighbours,  and  to  the  ignorant 
priests,  who  supposed  that  no  Christianity  could  possibly 
exist  without  crossings,  holy  water,  images,  relics,  and 
such  like  mummery.  The  missionaries  attempted  to  es- 
tablish schools  for  the  instruction  of  their  children,  but 
without  effect ;  those  who  saw  the  benefits  likely  to 
accrue  to  their  offspring  from  education  feared  the  priests, 
if  they  should  send  them  to  the  missionary  schools  ;  and 
those  who  could  not  understand  these  advantages  detest- 
ed the  missionaries  too  much,  and  therefore  would  as 
soon  see  their  children  Mahometans,  as  their  scholars. 

Such  was  the  state  of  the  Maronite  people  and  clergy 
at  the  time  of  Monsignor  Gondolfi's  arrival  among  them. 
His  first  care  was  to  endeavour  to  instruct  the  clergy, 
and  to  have  regular  sermons  preached  to  the  people. 
He  then  endeavoured  to  lessen  their  respect  for  the 
objects  of  their  superstitious  worship,  and  to  increase  it 
for  Christ  and  his  gospel ;  or  rather  to  create  a  reliance 
on  the  latter,  with  which  they  were  entirely  unacquainted. 
When  asked  by  the  Maronite  patriarch,  whether  the  priests 
and  the  people  had  acted  right  in  refusing  the  heretical 
books  (so  they  called  the  Scriptures)  which  were  offered 
them  by  Protestant  missionaries,  he  used  no  subterfuge, 
but  answered  plainly  "  they  had  not."  He  endeavoured 
to  explain  to  them  the  benefits  arising  from  a  knowledge 


260  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

of  the  sacred  writings,  and  the  inefficacy  of  all  other  things 
to  obtain  salvation,  unassisted  by  the  revealed  word.  By 
these  and  such  lik6  discourses,  he  showed  himself  a 
Bible  Christian,  and  favourer  of  the  reformed  religion. 
Nor  did  he  escape  the  notice  of  the  Maronite  priests, 
ignorant  as  they  were,  and  especially  of  those  who  had 
acquired  some  comparative  degree  of  information  by  study- 
ing at  Rome.  These  excited  the  patriarch  and  their  other 
brethren  against  him,  so  that,  in  less  than  nine  months, 
his  virtues  and  efforts  to  serve  them  made  him  as  hateful 
to  the  Maronites  as  the  like  qualities  had  before  rendered 
him  to  the  Jerusalem  monks.  Conscious,  however,  of  his 
own  pious  intentions,  and  of  the  goodness  of  the  cause  in 
which  he  had  embarked,  he  still  persevered,  and  opposed 
to  their  insults  and  even  attempts  to  take  his  life,  in  which 
they,  at  last,  succeeded,  nothing  but  mildness  and  firm- 
ness. Many  letters  were  written  to  the  court  of  Rome 
against  him  by  the  patriarch  and  his  monks,  accusing  hira 
of  heresy,  and  of  endeavouring  to  withdraw  the  Syrian 
Catholics  from  their  obedience  to  Rome.  He  had  long 
since  received  letters  from  the  Propaganda  peremptorily 
ordering  his  return,  but  these  he  thought  proper  to  treat 
with  that  neglect  which  they  deserved.  He  was  then 
formally  degraded  from  his  office  and  excommunicated, 
notification  of  such  proceedings  being  immediately  trans- 
mitted to  the  Maronite  patriarch,  who  forthwith  expelled 
him  from  the  convent.  After  his  expulsion,  he  still  con- 
tinued his  labours  among  them,  and  had  collected  together 
a  small  church,  which  he  daily  and  indefatigably  instructed 
in  the  leading  points  of  Christianity,  unmixed  with  the 
dross  of  Romish  inventions,  and  had  already  acquired  the 
respect  and  esteem  of  all  good  men,  when  he  was  dis- 
turbed from  this  sphere  of  usefulness  by  the  arrival  of  his 
successor  in  the  delegacy,  a  bigoted  fanatic,  than  whom 
Rome  could  not  have  chosen  a  more  fitting  person  to  carry 
into  execution  her  schemes  of  impositions. 

Unlike  Gondolfi,  this  worthless  individual,  whose  name 
I  do  not  know,  began  his  mission  by  flattering  the  patri- 
arch and  monks  in  their  evil  practices  and  superstitious 
worship  :  he  overturned  all  the  improvements  made  by 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  261 

the  former,  and  soon  brought  them  back  to  the  wretched 
state  in  which  he  had  found  them.  Bibles  were  sought 
for  and  destroyed  by  thousands,  and  all  those  who  listened 
to  the  sermons  or  went  to  the  schools  of  either  Gondolfi 
or  the  Protestant  missionaries  were  ipso  facto  excommu- 
nicated. Gondolfi,  finding  his  influence  among  the  people 
decreasing,  and  seeing  the  inutility  of  his  efforts  to  resist 
the  tide  of  corruption,  resolved  upon  leaving  a  place 
where  the  opposition  to  improvement  was  so  vigorous. 
But  nothing  else  than  his  death  could  satisfy  popish  ran- 
cour. Some  days  before  the  time  appointed  for  removing 
to  Alexandria,  where  he  hoped  to  obtain  a  passage  to 
Marseilles,  and  thence  to  Switzerland,  he  was  found  dead 
in  his  bed,  having  been  poisoned  at  the  house  of  a  Maro- 
nite  priest,  who  pretended  friendship  for  him,  and  with 
whom  he  spent  the  evening  previous  to  his  death.  The 
effect  of  the  poison  administered  to  him  (in  a  cup  of  coffee, 
it  is  supposed,  and  with  reason  too,  it  being  the  eastern 
custom  to  present  a  pipe  and  coffee  to  visiters)  was  not 
instantaneous  :  he  had  time  to  return  to  his  own  house, 
and  retire  to  bed,  before  he  felt  the  least  symptoms  of 
indisposition,  from  which  he  never  arose,  being  found,  as 
already  related,  dead  in  the  morning.  His  body  was 
swollen  to  a  monstrous  bulk,  and  left  unburied  for  more 
than  thirty-six  hours,  a  very  long  time  in  that  warm 
climate.  It  was  at  last  buried  by  the  Druses  ;  the  Maro- 
nites,  who  gave  out  that  his  death  was  caused  by  the 
visitation  of  God  for  his  heresy  and  schism,  being  unwill- 
ing to  pollute  themselves  with  the  touch  of  the  body  of 
an  excommunicated  person,  and  of  one  who  died  under 
the  censure  of  the  holy  Roman  Catholic  church.  They 
brought  his  death  forward  in  their  sermons  as  an  exam- 
ple of  the  way  in  which  God  punishes,  even  in  this  world, 
those  who  make  themselves  heresiarchs,  and  dissemina- 
tors of  heresy,  and  attributed  it  entirely  to  the  vengeance 
of  God,  and  never  to  the  true  cause,  which  they  well  knew 
— the  vengeance  of  the  church  of  Rome. 

Thus  died  Monsignor  Gondolfi,  a  man  of  superior 
talents,  learning,  and  piety,  and  who,  had  his  lot  been  cast 
among  any  other  portion  of  the  Christian  community  than 


262  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

in  that  of  the  intolerant  and  almost  heathenish  one  of 
popery,  would  have  shone  forth  as  a  brilliant  light  among 
the  people  of  God,  and  contributed  by  his  labours  and 
example  to  the  increase  of  God's  kingdom,  and  edification 
of  God's  pe^le.  He  may  serve  as  an  example  of  a  pious 
man,  preferring  the  service  of  Jesus  Christ  to  worldly 
honours  and  riclies,  and  labouring  at  the  hazard  of  his 
life,  in  dissipating  the  clouds  of  darkness  (and  with  a  cer- 
tainty of  irretrievably  destroying  his  temporal  prospects) 
in  which  the  minds  of  Christians  were  enveloped  by  the 
worldly  policy  and  soul-destroying  superstitions  of  the 
church,  of  which  he  was  a  dignitary.  By  the  manner  of 
his  death  may  be  exemplified  the  ways  made  use  of  by 
modern  popery  in  stopping  the  mouths  of  those  whose 
consciences  excite  them  to  speak  against  and  expose  her 
abuses  and  impositions,  and  of  her  little  regard  for  the 
heinousness  of  the  means,  so  that  they  bring  about  the 
desired  end.  Probably,  the  miserable  man  who  adminis- 
tered the  poison  to  his  guest,  Gondolfi,  was  armed  before- 
hand with  a  brief  from  the  pope,  by  which  he  was  granted 
indulgences  for  the  commission  of  the  crime,  which,  so 
far  from  considering  in  that  light,  he  considered  a  meri- 
torious act,  and  one  worthy  of  eternal  reward.  It  may 
be  asked  whether  the  Turkish  government  had  not  taken 
notice  of  the  sudden  death  of  so  notable  a  character,  and 
examined  into  the  cause  of  it  ?  To  those  acquainted  with 
the  distracted  state  of  Turkey,  it  is  needless  to  py  that 
violent  deaths  are  so  numerous,  that  they  are  looked  upon 
as  every-day  occurrences,  and  are  hardly  taken  notice  of 
by  the  government ;  but  when  they  are,  it  is  more  for  the 
purpose  of  extorting  money  from  the  innocent,  than  of 
bringing  the  murderers  to  justice.  If  then  the  govern- 
ment had  examined  at  all  into  the  circumstances  attending 
Gondolfi's  death,  popish  gold  could  have  very  easily 
screened  the  murderer  from  Mahometan  justice :  a  few 
purses  to  the  Turkish  magistrate,  and  all  is  hushed.  Let 
this  answer  satisfy  those  also,  who  are  not  acquainted 
with  Turkish  customs. 

Indulgences  are  also  granted  for  sins  not  yet  committed, 
but  which   the   purchaser  of  them  intends  to  commit 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  263 

within  a  given  time.  These  are  called  "  indidgenze 
secrete,''''  or  secret  indulgences,  by  the  Italians,  and  are 
not  sold  openly  ;  the  principle  being  too  glaringly  mon- 
strous, even  in  the  opinion  of  those  who  practise  upon  it, 
to  meet  the  face  of  day.  They  are,  nevertheless,  obtained 
by  making  application  to  any  one  of  the  penitentiaries* 
of  St.  Peter's,  and  as  he  may  judge  the  reasons  assigned 
for  the  necessity  of  committing  such  and  such  sins  to  be 
satisfactory  or  otherwise,  they  are  granted  or  withheld 
accordingly,  though  the  former  is  more  frequently  the 
case.  If  the  sin  bargained  for  be  of  individual  advantage 
to  the  person  about  to  commit  it,  the  price  charged  is 
most  enormous,  and  exceeds  the  abilities  of  the  poor, 
who,  therefore,  are,  through  want  of  money,  obliged  to 
commit  it  first,  and  get  absolved,  a  bon  marche,  after- 
ward ;  but  if  it  be  for  the  general  advantage  of  the  Romish 
church,  then  the  penitentiary  endeavours  to  obtain  for  the 
penitent  the  indulgence,  or  leave  to  commit  it  gratis^ 
exhorting  him  at  the  same  time  to  be  diligent  in  perform 
ing  his  duty  toward  the  church,  and  in  consulting  for  her 
welfare,  and  finishing  his  pious  exhortation  with  a  Latin 
quotation  from  some  old  schoolman,  which,  to  give  it 
greater  weight,  he  fathers  upon  Augustine,  Ambrose,  or 
some  other  saint  of  great  name,  as  :  "  No  one  can  have 
God  for  a  father,  who  has  not  the  church  for  a  mother." 
"  Nemo  potest  habere  Deum  pro  patre,  qui  ecclesiam  non 
habet  pro  matre."  Stus.  Aug.  de  Infall.  sum.  pon.  lib. 
100,  cap.  1000,  sec.  47,  torn.  600,  fol.  edi.  Rom.  &c.  &;c. 
He  adds  the  name  of  the  author,  page,  volume,  &c.,  in 
order  to  increase  the  admiration  and  stupor  of  his  unfor- 
tunate penitent. 

*  Penitentiaries  in  the  church  of  Rome  are  of  two  kinds  ;  the 
first,  and  those  to  whom  allusion  is  made  above,  is  composed  of  certain 
priests,  mostly  Franciscan  friars,  vested  by  the  pope  with  the  power 
of  absolving  certain  cases  reserved  to  himself.  These  hold  their 
stalls  or  confession  boxes  in  the  church  of  St.  Peter's  at  Rome,  and 
to  them  application  must  be  first  made,  in  order  to  obtain  the  secret 
bulls.  Having  obtained  a  written  order  from  these,  the  indulgence 
buyer  delivers  it  to  those  of  the  second  kind,  who  have  the  immediate 
direction  of  the  bulls,  and  who  receive  the  money  for  them.  What 
an  unholy  traffic ! — but  such  is  popery. 


364  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

Secret  indulgences  are  seldom  granted,  as  far  as  I  could 
learn,  for  the  commission  of  murder,  robbery,  &c.,  in 
cases  of  individuals :  they  are  chiefly  confined  to  the 
liberty  of  cheating,  without  sin,  each  other  in  their  com 
mercial  pursuits,  in  forming  marriage  connexions  within 
the  forbidden  degrees  of  kindred ;  so  that  a  man  may 
marry  his  grandmother,  if  he  be  rich  enough  to  purchase 
an  indulgence  (in  cases  of  this  kind,  called  dispensations) 
for  so  doing,  in  keeping  a  mistress,  in  procuring  abortion, 
and  other  things  of  this  nature.  No  special  indulgence 
is  required  for  acting  in  any  way,  however  sinful,  by 
which  people  called  heretics  might  be  injured  in  their 
persons,  property  or  character  :  nay,  those  who  do  not 
act  so  fall  under  the  censure  of  the  church  ;  for  a  general 
indulgence  has  been  granted  by  more  than  one  pope,  for 
the  suppression  of  heresy  and  extirpation  of  heretics,  and 
all  who  keep  faith  with  them  are,  ipso  facto,  excom 
municated,  and  become  partakers  of  their  alleged  guilt, 
and  liable  to  the  same  punishments.  We  learn  from 
history,  that  secret  indulgences  have  been  often  granted 
for  the  assassination  of  heretical  kings,  of  disseminators 
of  heresy,  or  of  any  others,  who  may  have  rendered 
themselves,  by  their  writings  or  influence,  hateful  to  the 
church  of  Rome  in  general,  or  to  its  head  the  pope  in 
particular.     The    infamous  Alexander  VI.*  was   accus- 

*  Of  all  the  monsters — and  they  were  many — that  ever  sat  upon 
the  papal  throne,  none  ever  came  up  to  Alexander  VI.  in  impiety, 
cruelty,  and  avarice.  He  was  bom  in  Valencia,  Spain.  His  family 
was  that  of  Borgia,  and  he  himself  was  called  Theodoric  Borgia 
before  his  election  to  the  popedom.  While  yet  a  young  man,  and  a 
cardinal,  to  which  dignity  he  was  exalted  by  his  uncle,  Calistus  HI., 
though  some  say  that  he  <  was  the  latter  pope's  bastard — he  lived 
publicly  in  concubinage  with  a  Roman  lady  of  great  beauty,  by  whom 
he  had  three  children — two  sons  and  one  daughter.  After  his  elec- 
tion to  the  popedom,  in  1492,  he  spared  neither  blood  nor  conscience 
in  enriching  these  his  bastards.  He  was  the  moving  cause  of  all  the 
wars  and  disturbances  that  harassed  Europe  during  that  period,  and 
seems,  notwithstanding  his  papal  dignity,  to  have  been  held  in  utter 
abomination,  both  by  his  own  subjects,  and  by  the  other  nations  of 
Europe.  His  eldest  son  Caesar,  whom  he  made  a  cardinal  at  an  early 
age,  and  whom  he  afterward  absolved  from  his  vow  of  chastity,  in 
order  to  marry  him  to  the  daughter  of  the  Duke  of  Ferrara ;  this 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  265 

tomed  to  grant  indulgences  under  his  own  hand  and  seal, 
to  the  assassins  hired  by  him  for  the  purpose  of  waylay- 
ing and  murdering  the  princes  or  other  men  of  rank,  who 
fell  under  his  displeasure  on  account  of  opposing  him  in 
his  unholy  designs  ;  or  for  whose  riches  he  had  a  gaping 
desire,  in  order  to  enrich  his  bastard  children,  Caesar 
Borgia,  and  brother  and  sister.  Many  other  instances 
might  be  given  of  indulgences  being  granted  for  doing 
away  with,  either  the  personal  enemies  of  popes,  or 
the  enemies  of  their  doctrines.  The  foregoing  one  of 
Alexander  VI.  is  so  well  authenticated,  that  popish  his- 

same  Cjesar  murdered  his  younger  brother,  through  jealousy  of  his 
being  higher  in  the  affections  of  their  common  sister,  whose  favours, 
without  having  any  regard  to  the  ties  of  consanguinity,  they  both 
equally  shared — children  truly  worthy  of  such  a  father !  The  day 
of  retribution  at  length  came.  At  a  dinner  prepared  for  the  express 
purpose  of  poisoning  some  of  the  cardinals  and  Roman  senators, 
whose  property  he  coveted,  or  whose  dignities  he  wanted  to  sell  to 
the  highest  bidder,  the  poisoned  wine  was,  by  mistake,  served  up  to 
himself  and  his  son  Csesar ;  and  thus,  by  the  just  judgment  of  God, 
he  fell  into  the  pit  he  had  made  for  the  destruction  of  others.  The 
poison  had  a  fatal  effect  on  the  pope,  and  put  an  end — an  event  so 
anxiously  wished  for — to  his  career  of  crime  and  impiety  :  his  hopeful 
son,  Csesar,  recovered  from  its  effects  by  having  quick  recourse  to  an 
antidote,  which  he  always  carried  about  him,  being,  no  doubt,  con- 
scious of  the  provocation  his  crimes  gave  many  to  attempt  his  life. 
After  his  father's  death,  he  retired  to  his  castle  at  Ferrara,  of  which 
town  he  was  before  made  duke,  where  he  maintained  a  siege  of  some 
months  against  an  army  sent  by  his  father's  successor  against  him. 
He  was  forced  to  flee  from  Italy  in  the  end,  and  having  been  reduced 
to  great  poverty,  he,  some  few  years  after,  was  found  dead  in  a  ditch, 
not  without  well  grounded  suspicions  of  having  accelerated  his  own 
end.  The  following  epitaph,  written  by  a  popish  priest  of  that  period, 
will  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  detestation  in  which  this  impious 
pope  was  held  by  all  classes — laical  and  clerical : 

Saevitiffi,  insidiae,  rabies,  furor,  ira,  libido 

Sanguinis  et  diri  spongia,  dira  sitis  ; 

Sextus  Alexander  jaceo  hie,  jam  libera  gaude 

Roma :  tibi  quoniam  mors  mea  vita  fuit. 
"  Here  I,  (the  unhappy  man  himself  is  made  the  narrator  of  hia 
own  infamy,)  Alexander  VI.  lie :  cruelty,  treachery,  fury,  madness, 
anger,  and  lust,  lie  here :  a  sponge  steeped  in  blood  and  horror,  for 
which  my  thirst  was  insatiable.  Now,  O  Rome,  rejoice  in  thy  liberty, 
for  my  death  is  thy  hfe." 

24 


266  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

torians  themselves,  being  unable  to  pass  it  over,  have 
been  obliged  to  make  mention  of  it ;  yet  some  of  them 
endeavour  to  excuse  it  by  a  fine-drawn  distinction  between 
"Me  pope  as  a  man,  and  the  same  as  vicar  of  Christ 
and  head  of  the  church^  Bernini  in  his  ^'■Storia  di 
tutta  Peresia,^^  a  book  written  expressly  for  upholding 
the  papal  authority,  mentions  it,  but  attempts  to  get  over 
it  in  the  above  way.  But  it  may  be  asked  both  of  Bernini 
and  others,  by  what  authority  is  such  a  monstrous  doc- 
trine supported  at  all  ?  Not,  certainly,  by  that  of  revela- 
tion. Besides,  if  such  a  doctrine  did  not  exist,  the  evil- 
minded  popes  could  not  use  it  for  the  gratification  of  their 
bloodthirsty  propensities,  and  of  their  avarice.  Why 
not  then  do  away  with  it  altogether,  and  for  once  shame 
the  d — 1  by  telling  the  truth,  and  confessing,  that  the 
church  and  pope  too  had  erred  in  assuming,  without 
authority,  so  monstrous  a  doctrine,  and  so  dreadful  in  its 
consequences,  as  a  part  of  the  religion  of  Christ.  But 
this  would  be  an  act  of  honesty,  for  which  no  one  ac- 
quainted with  the  church  of  Rome  can  ever  suspect  her; 
and  she  therefore  continues  heaping  one  error  upon 
another,  and  making  the  latter  the  support  of  the  former, 
till  she  has  arrived  at  her  present  state  of  corruption,  as 
to  have  nothing  of  the  religion  of  Christ  about  her  but  the 
name — so  difficult  it  is  to  support  a  lie  without  calling  in 
other  lies  to  its  assistance ;  to  support  the  erroneous  doc- 
trine of  infallibility  without  the  prop  of  other  doctrines 
equally  erroneous.  "  An  ounce  of  honesty  is  better  than 
a  pound  of  policy,"  is  an  old  saying,  and  had  the  church 
of  Rome  practised  upon  it,  or  even  given  ear  to  the  moral 
precept,  "  Hominis  est  errare,  bestiae  autem  in  erroribus 
permanere  ;"  "Men  are  liable  to  err,  but  none  but  beasts 
persevere  in  their  errors;"  had  she,  on  her  first  falling 
into  error,  confessed  it  and  made  reparation  for  it,  instead 
of  endeavouring  to  support  it,  she  would  not  be  to-day 
so  bestial  a  church,  and  the  stone  of  scandal  and  rock 
of  offence  to  the  whole  Christian  world.  As  to  the 
wire-drawn  distinction  between  the  official  and  indi- 
vidual character  of  Alexander  VI.,  by  which  papicolists 
endeavour  to  cast  his  crimes  from  the  pope  to  the  man,  I 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  26" 

would  gladly  learn,  when  Alexander  VI.  went  to  visit 
his  infernal  majesty  in  his  nether  dominions,  as  a  man, 
(and  it  is  no  uncharitableness  to  say  that  he  has,  if  there 
be — and  I  have  no  doubt  of  it — a  place  of  future  rewards 
and  punishments,)  what  then  became  of  the  same,  as  a 
pope  ?* 

The  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew  is  another  instance, 
though  on  a  larger  scale,  of  indulgences  being  granted 
for  the  destruction  of  those  whom  the  church  of  Rome 
honours  with  the  name  of  heretics.  Indulgences  were 
granted  beforehand  for  the  perpetration  of  that  horrid 
massacre,  as  is  evident  from  the  little  surprise,  but  ex- 
ceedingly great  joy  exhibited  by  the  court  of  Rome  upon 
receiving  the  news.  It  was  a  thing  expected  ;  the  plot 
having  been  laid  at  Rome,  and  the  necessary  indulgences 
granted,  before  its  execution  at  Paris  and  other  parts  of 
France.  Most  probably  there  was  a  plenary  indulgence, 
and  the  freedom  of  some  hundreds  of  souls  from  purga- 
tory, for  every  unfortunate  Huguenot  sacrificed  that  day 
to  popish  intolerance.  A  solemn  Te.  Deum  was  sung  at 
St.  Peter's,  and  a  public  thanksgiving  ordered  through 
every  church,  acknowledging  at  its  head  the  purpled 
monster,  who  sanctioned,  and  even  encouraged,  so  hellish 
a  carnage. 

One  instance  more,  and  I  have  done.  Fra  Paolo, 
author  of  the  history  of  the  council  of  Trent,  was  sus- 
pected of  heresy.  He  retired  to  his  native  city,  Venice, 
and  was  protected  by  that  republic,  which  felt  honoured 

*  It  would  seem  from  the  following  anecdote  that  these  metaphysi- 
cal distinctions  are  not  made  in  favour  of  popes  alone,  but  sometimes 
also  in  favour  of  less  dignified  churchmen.  A  German  peasant  see- 
ing the  Archbishop  of  Magdeburg,  of  indulgence-selling  memory,  who 
was  also  Elector  of  Mentz.  passing  by,  surrounded  by  his  guards,  and 
dressed  in  a  militaiy  uniform,  he  burst  out  into  an  immoderate  fit  of 
laughter,  which  attracted  the  notice  of  the  archbishop.  Upon  being 
asked  the  reason  of  his  merriment,  he  replied,  "  Because  I  see  your 
grace,  a  churchman,  dressed  as  a  soldier."  "  But  don't  you  know," 
said  his  grace,  "  that  I  am  an  elector  of  the  empire,  as  well  as  an 
archbishop ■?"  "Yes,"  answered  the  peasant;  "but  I  would  like  to 
know,  when  your  highness,  the  elector,  goes  to  the  d — 1,  where  wiU 
your  grace,  the  archbishop,  gol" 


268  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

in  having  so  learned  a  man  one  of  its  citizens.  The 
court  of  Rome,  however,  could  not  rest  satisfied  .without 
his  death.  One  of  the  professional  spadacini,  or  assas- 
sins, who  abounded  in  Rome  at  that  time,  (sixteenth 
century) — nor  are  they  very  scarce  even  at  this  day — one 
of  these  was  hired  by  the  pope  and  cardinals,  and  de- 
spatched to  Venice  for  the  purpose  of  assassinating  Fra 
Paolo ;  being  fortified  beforehand  with  an  indulgence, 
and  promised  a  large  sum  of  money,  in  case  of  success. 
He  had  remained  some  time  at  Venice  before  a  favourable 
opportunity  presented  of  executing  his  commission  ;  so 
cautiously  did  Fra  Paolo,  who  knew  the  spirit  of  the 
Romish  church,  keep  himself  on  his  guard  against  her 
machinations.  One  morning,  however,  very  early,  as 
he  was  going  to  the  house  of  a  Venetian  nobleman  to 
assist  at  the  last  moments  of  one  of  the  family,  he  was 
watched  by  the  pope's  emissary,  who  went  up  to  him  to 
kiss  his  hand,  which  is  a  manner  of  showing  respect  to  a 
priest,  common  in  Italy,  and  being  put  off  his  guard  by 
that  act  of  respect,  received  the  assassin's  dagger  in  his 
side.  Some  people,  coming  accidentally  that  way,  and 
seeing  what  occurred,  pursued  the  wretch,  who  imme- 
diately fled,  leaving  the  dagger  in  the  wound.  He  was 
apprehended,  and  confessed  the  whole  plot,  and  who 
were  his  employers,  upon  condition  of  his  life  being 
spared.  The  court  of  Rome  flatly  denied  having  given 
any  such  commission  to  any  one  ;  thus  adding  lying  to 
treachery,  as  is  its  custom.  Fra  Paolo,  however,  recover- 
ed of  his  wound,  and  kept  the  dagger,  on  which  he  got 
inscribed  the  words  ^^ Stiletto  della  chiesa  Romanq,  per 
Fra  Paolo,''''  (the  dagger  of  the  Roman  church  for  Fra 
Paolo,)  as  a  precious  relic,  hungup  in  his  bed-room  during 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  The  same  dagger  is  still  pre- 
served in  one  of  the  Protestant  cities  of  Germany,  I  forget 
which,  a  lasting  memorial  of  popish  treachery,  and  of  the 
murderous  use  to  which  the  pope  converts  his  assumed 
power  of  granting  indulgences. 

Every  bishop,  in  his  own  diocess,  has  also  the  power 
of  granting  secret  indulgences  to  those  of  his  flock  that 
can  purchase  them.     The  same  power,  with  which  the 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  269 

pope  has  vested  the  penitentiaries  of  St.  Peter's,  he  can 
also  bestow  upon  one  or  two  priests  of  his  cathedral. 
These,  like  their  brethren  at  St.  Peter's,  can  grant  indul- 
gences for  minor  sins,  that  is,  minor,  when  compared 
with  murder,  robbery,  &c.  But  not  only  are  indulgences 
granted  for  the  use  and  benefit  of  the  living  purchasers ; 
but  also  the  same  purchasers  while  in  health  provide 
themselves  with  indulgences,  and  absolutions  of  their 
crimes,  sins,  and  offences,  signed,  sealed,  and  delivered, 
and  which  are  buried  with  them  when  they  die.  These 
documents  are  written  in  Latin ;  and  serve  as  a  passport 
to  heaven — a  sure  sign,  according  to  the  opiniogi  of  the 
church  of  Rome — an  infallible  authority  in  cases  of  this 
nature — that  the  gens  cVarmes,  and  other  police  officers 
of  the  other  world,  understand  Latin ;  otherwise  how 
would  they  be  able  to  know,  whether  the  bearers  of  them 
have  their  passports  en  regie  ?  as  the  French  police  say. 
The  question  was  for  some  time  disputed  on  in  the 
schools  of  theology,  "  Whether  the  d— I's  police  under- 
stand Latin,  or  not  ?"  for  that  God's  police  have  a  know- 
ledge of  that  language,  no  one  would  be  impious  enough 
to  doubt.  After  many  orations  and  learned  discourses  on 
the  different  sides  of  the  question,  it  was  at  last  decided 
in  the  negative,  and  the  reason  given  was,  that  God 
■would  not  allow  a  knowledge  of  that  language  to  his 
enemies,  in  which  the  most  acceptable  sacrifice — that  of 
the  mass — was  daily  offered  up  to  him.  It  was  objected 
by  the  opposite  side,  that  if  the  d — Is  had  not  a  know- 
ledge of  Latin,  many  souls  armed  with  pontifical  bulls 
and  indulgences  might  be  impeded  in  their  flight  to 
heaven,  by  being  stopped  on  the  road  by  those  who 
could  not  understand  their  documents  ;  but  this  objection 
was  done  away  with  by  bringing  under  consideration  the 
fact  of  such  bulls  and  indulgences  being  always  fortified 
with  the  pope's  seal,  and  that  though  the  officers  of  Satan 
could  not  make  use  of  their  understanding,  yet  they 
could  of  their  eyes,  and  respect  accordingly  a  document 
bearing  the  seal  of  Christ's  vicar  on  earth,  though  its 
contents  be  unknown  to  them  ;  being  well  aware  (sagely 
add  the  theologians)  that  he  (the  pope)  would  never  put, 
24* 


270  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

t 

or  cause  to  be  put,  his  seal,  unless  upon  things  which 
cannot  be  otherwise  than  agreeable  to  the  Divine  Majesty ! 
So  much  for  theological  disputations.  It  may  perhaps 
be  suspected,  that  the  foregoing  question  never  existed, 
or  never  was  disputed  upon  but  by  myself.  Those,  who 
think  so,  have  a  very  erroneous  idea  of  popish  schools 
of  theology.  Not  only  has  the  above  question  engaged 
the  attention  of  grave  theologians,  but  thousands  of  such 
questions,  much  more  absurd  and  ridiculous  if  possible, 
are  daily  discussed  by  the  theological  students  of  the 
church  of  Rome.  By  such  questions  as  these,  is  the 
young  mind  of  the  student  drawn  away  from  meditating 
upon  tlie  great  truths  of  Christianity,  and  fixed  upon  the 
peculiar  doctrines  of  popery.  By  seeing  those  minutiae 
so  warmly  defended,  he,  by  degrees,  learns  to  consider 
them  as  things  of  importance,  and  very  soon  lets  go  the 
substance — Christianity  itself — and  grasps  at  the  shadow 
— the  ravings  of  theologians,  and  the  inventions  of  popes 
and  cardinals.     But  enough  of  indulgences. 


CHAPTER  XXVII 

Departure  from  Rome — Refused  permission  to  return  to  Ireland — 
Plan  of  ccaoe — How  executed — Arrival  at  Marseilles  and  Lyons 
— Geneva — Monsieur  Cheneviere — Socinianism — English  travel- 
lers on  the  continent  of  Europe — Rabbi  M s,  the  converted  Jew 

— His  perfidy — Arrival  in  London — Treatment  received  from  false 
and  perfidious  friends. 

Having  in  the  foregoing  chapters  given  an  account  of 
the  domestic  life  of  monks,  interspersed  with  remarks 
upon  some  of  the  leading  doctrines  of  the  Romish  church, 
I  shall  now  proceed  to  relate  the  manner  in  which,  through 
God's  mercy,  I  became  emancipated  from  the  galling 
yoke  of  monachism,  and  its  disgusting  practices.  The 
manners  and  customs  of  tlie  popish  clergy  of  Malta, 
Smyrna,  and  the  Ionian  islands,  will  also  form  the  sub- 
jects of  some  following  chapters.  The  various  stages 
of  adverse  fortune,  through  which  I  passed  before  arriv- 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  271 

ing  in  America,  may  lead  the  reader  to  form  a  just  notion 
of  the  difficulties,  which  those,  who  belonged  to  the 
Romish  clergy,  and  whose  consciences  obliged  them  to 
separate  from  it,  have  to  encounter,  partly  from  the  per- 
secutions of  their  quondam  co-religionists,  and  partly 
from  the  lukewarmness  of  those,  who  call  themselves 
"  friends  of  the  gospel."  How  far  the  latter  deserve  that 
name,  may  be  seen  from  the  manner  I  myself  have  been 
treated  by  such  gentry. 

The  seventh  year  of  my  monkish  life  was  now  com- 
mencing, and  I  had  already  passed  through  the  different 
studies  required,  before  being  sent  as  a  missionary  to  my 
own  country,  (Ireland,)  when,  unable  to  bear  any  longer 
the  mask  of  hypocrisy,  which  self-preservation  obliged 
me  to  wear,  I  resolved  upon  leaving  Rome,  and  the  Ro- 
man states,  and  seek  a  refuge  in  some  country,  where  I 
would  not  be  forced  by  circumstances  to  appear  what 
I  really  was  not — a  servile  adherent  to  pope  and  popery. 
I  was,  at  this  time,  I  must  confess,  a  confirmed  infidel, 
and  a  scoffer  at  Christianity,  under  whatever  form  it  might 
appear.  It  was  not  then  through  any  love  for  Protestant- 
ism, that  I  was  so  desirous  to  make  my  escape  from 
popish  thraldom.  I  was  convinced,  that  Christianity- 
was,  on  the  whole,  a  fable,  and  the  invention  Of  self- 
interested  men,  who  make  use  of  it  to  domineer  with 
greater  ease  over  their  less  cunning,  or  less  fortunate 
fellow  creatures.  I  had  not,  at  this  time,  the  least  notion, 
that  the  Christianity  with  which  I  was  acquainted  in  the 
church  of  Rome,  and  the  pure  genuine  Christianity,  es- 
tablished by  its  divine  Author,  were  as  different  as  one 
thing  could  possibly  be  from  another;  the  former  carry- 
ing imprinted  upon  it  the  work  and  handicraft  of  man, 
while  the  latter  could  not  proceed  from  any  other  source 
less  pure  than  the  inspiration  of  the  Deity.  I  was  unable, 
so  incredulous  and  skeptical  had  I  become  by  the  abomi- 
nations of  monkery,  to  see  any  benefit  that  a  firm  belief 
in  the  blessed  doctrine  of  atonement  through  the  blood 
of  Christ  could  bring  to  man.  The  doctrine  itself,  I  was 
acquainted   with,  but  the  way  of  applying  it   to  heal 


273  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

the  wounded  spirit,  or  the  brolien  heart,  I  was  wholly 
Ignorant  of. 

My  health  being  really  very  bad,  it  required  very  little 
simulation,  on  my  part,  to  persuade  the  convent  physi- 
cian to  grant  me  a  paper,  by  which  he  gave  it  as  his 
professional  opinion,  "that  an  immediate  removal  to  my 
native  air  was  absolutely  necessary  for  the  restoration  of 
my  health."  The  disturbed  state  of  my  mind,  weighed 
down  by  skepticism,  and  a  consciousness  of  living  in 
direct  variance  with  my  better  judgment,  had  a  sensible 
effect  on  my  bodily  strength.  I  was  fast  falling  into  a 
decline,  and  had  I  remained  one  year,  nay,  a  few  months 
longer  in  the  monkish  habit,  it  is  more  than  probable, 
that  I  would  not  be  now  alive  to  relate  the  abominations 
of  monkery.  Armed  with  the  physician's  certificate, 
which  was  itself  confirmed  by  my  sickly  appearance,  I 
sought  the  general  of  the  order,  and  requested  his  per- 
mission to  return  to  Ireland,  without  waiting  until  I 
would  reach  the  age  appointed  by  the  canons  for  receiv- 
ing the  order  of  priesthood.  I  had  already,  as  before 
mentioned,  received  the  other  six  orders,  and,  indeed, 
had  no  ambition  to  be  dubbed  a  priest,  that  is,  to  be 
gifted  with  the  hocus  pocus  art  of  making  my  God.  So 
far  from  the  desire  of  being  priested  having  had  any  share 
in  my  thoughts,  I  dreaded  the  arrival  of  the  moment, 
when  I  would  be  obliged,  nolens  volens,  to  receive  priests' 
orders.  The  general,  however,  refused  to  give  me  the 
required  permission.  The  only  thing  1  could  obtain  from 
him,  was  leave  to  go  for  a  few  months  to  Pisa,  or  Leg- 
horn. Fearing  that  I  might  take  his  refusal  too  much 
to  heart,  he  promised  me,  at  the  same  time,  that  he  him- 
self would  use  his  influence  with  the  pope,  in  order  to 
obtain  for  me  a  dispensation  of  eighteen  months,  by  which 
I  could  be  ordained  priest  at  the  age  of  twenty-two  years 
and  a  half ;  a  favour  seldom  granted  by  his  holiness,  unless 
to  those,  who  are  backed  by  powerful  interest,  and  able 
to  pay  well  for  it. 

Finding  that  prayers  and  entreaties  availed  me  little 
with  the  general,  and  that  I  had  very  little  chance  of 
effecting  my  escape,  if  I  remained  at  Rome,  I  decided 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  273 

upon  making  use  of  his  permission  to  go  to  Leghorn, 
and  trust  to  some  favourable  opportunity  to  put  myself 
out  of  the  reach  of  monkish  jurisdiction.  'My  hopes 
were  chiefly  founded  upon  the  probability  of  falling  in 
with  at  Leghorn,  some  English  vessel,  that  might  aid  me 
in  my  preconceived  plan  of  flight.  Upon  my  arrival  in 
that  city,  my  first  care  was  to  make  acquaintance  with 
the  English  consul.  Fearing,  however,  that  he  might 
betray  my  intentions,  I  was  very  cautious  at  first  in  giv- 
ing him  a  knowledge  of  my  designs  ;  but  finding,  after 
an  acquaintance  of  some  weeks,  that  he  detested  monkery 
and  priestcraft  as  much  as  they  deserved,  I  opened  my- 
self to  him  without  reserve.  He  very  honestly  advised 
me  to  ponder  well  upon  the  probable  consequences  before 
I  went  too  far  to  recede.  He  laid  open  the  difiiculties  I 
might  have  to  encounter,  in  order  to  maintain  my  rank  in 
society,  if  I  should  divest  myself  of  my  profession  ;  and 
brought  before  my  eyes  the  lukewarmness  of  those,  who 
call  themselves  the  friends  of  gospel  freedom.  "  If,  how- 
ever," said  he,  "  you  are  determined  at  all  hazards  to 
shake  off"  the  yoke  of  monachism,  I  shall  not  be  back- 
ward in  affording  you  every  assistance  in  my  power." 
Having  received  some  weeks  before,  a  remittance  of 
money  from  my  father,  (the  last  I  have  ever  received 
from  him,)  my  pecuniary  resources  were  in  a  state  to 
defray  the  expenses  of  a  journey  to  Switzerland — the 
nearest  land  of  freedom,"  and  therefore  the  place  I  made 
up  my  mind  to  go  to,  in  the  event  of  succeeding  in  my 
designs.  I  intrusted  part  of  this  money  to  the  consul,  in 
order  that  he  might  purchase  secular  clothes  for  me.  To 
avoid  all  suspicion,  a  young  man,  clerk  in  the  consul's 
office,  presented  himself  to  the  tailor  in  my  place  ;  which 
young  man  being  about  my  size  and  stature,  the  clothes 
that  would  fit  him  would  also  fit  me. 

Nothing  was  now  wanting  for  the  immediate  execution 
of  my  plans,  but  the  falling  in  with  some  vessel  that 
would  take  me  aboard  and  land  me  at  Marseilles,  without 
requiring  the  necessary  papers  from  the  civil  authorities 
at  Leghorn.  It  was  useless  to  expect  that  any  Tuscan, 
or  Italian  shipmaster  would  run  the  risk  ;   my  whole 


274  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

dependence  then  was  upon  meeting  with  some  English 
or  French  vessel,  about  to  sail  for  the  above  port.  The 
former  luckily  presented  after  some  weeks  anxious  ex- 
pectation on  my  part.  An  English  brig,  having  taken  in 
part  of  her  cargo  at  Leghorn,  had  to  touch  at  Marseilles 
to  take  in  the  remainder.  The  consul  introduced  me  to 
her  captain,  who  readily  consented  to  take  me  aboard, 
and  land  me  at  Marseilles.  The  latter  positively  refused, 
at  the  same  time,  to  receive  any  compensation  for  his 
trouble  ;  observing,  "  that  he  deemed  it  a  sufficient 
reward,  if  he  could  be  the  means  of  rescuing  a  fellow 
countryman  from  slavery."  All  things  being  in  readiness 
for  my  flight,  I  accompanied  the  captain  in  his  own  boat 
aboard,  under  pretext  of  seeing  him  put  to  sea ;  his  ship 
being  already  outside  the  harbour's  mouth,  and  only 
waiting  his  coming  aboard  to  set  sail.  The  moment,  then, 
that  I  placed  my  foot  on  the  deck,  I  pronounced  myself 
free,  and  out  of  the  grasp  of  monkish  tyranny.  Indeed, 
it  would  require  the  exercise  of  all  the  miraculous  power 
to  which  monks  lay  claim,  to  get  me  again  within  their 
clutches. 

One  thmg,  however,  happened  very  unfortunately,  and 
was  wellnigh  frustrating  the  whole  plan.  The  secular 
clothes,  which  were  prepared  for  me,  were  left  ashore  at 
Leghorn,  either  through  design  or  accident — I  do  not 
know  which.  I  attribute  it,  however,  to  the  treachery 
of  the  person,  to  whom  the  c'onsul  intrusted  them,  in 
order  to  carry  them  aboard ;  and  by  no  means  to  the 
consul  himself.  The  latter  had  kindly  provided  me  with 
an  English  passport,  whereby  I  was  described  as  a  British 
subject,  on  a  travelling  excursion.  This  was  sufficient  to 
excite  the  suspicion  of  the  French  authorities ;  and  had  I 
arrived  in  France  in  a  monkish  habit,  some  fifty  years 
earlier,  that  is,  had  I  arrived  there  a  few  years  before  the 
first  French  revolution,  I  would  have  learned  to  my  cost, 
that  Italy  was  not  the  only  country  in  the  world,  wherein 
monks  are  imprisoned  for  attempting  to  throw  oflf  the 
yoke  of  monachism.  But  France  had — luckily  enough  for 
me — emancipated  herself  from  priestcraft  and  monkery, 
long  before  my  arrival ;  and  I  therefore  experienced  no 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  275 

greater  difficulty  from, being  habited  as  a  monk,  than  what 
proceeded  from  being  stared  at,  and  laughed  at,  on  ac- 
count of  my  (to  them)  unusual  and  uncouth  dress. 

After  a  few  weeks'  stay  at  Marseilles,  during  which  I 
was  pestered  with  invitations  from  the  popish  bishop  to 
call  upon  him  at  his  palace,  and  which  invitations  I  took 
the  liberty  to  neglect,  I  set  out  for  Lyons,  still  dressed 
in  the  monastic  habit :  indeed,  finding  that  this  dress  did 
not  expose  me  to  any  danger  in  France,  I  resolved  not  to 
lay  it  aside  until  I  arrived  in  Switzerland.  At  Lyons,  I 
obtained  from  some  Protestant  clergyman,  with  whom 
I  became  acquainted,  letters  of  introduction  to  many  of 
the  Swiss  clergy.  Having  spent  a  few  days  in  that  city, 
I  departed  for  Geneva — the  cradle  of  continental  Protest- 
antism, and  the  seat  of  the  arts  and  sciences.  My  letters 
of  introduction  were  then  of  use  to  me.  Through  them, 
I  soon  made  the  acquaintance  of  the  greater  part  of  the 
Geneva  clergy  ;  and  among  others,  of  Messieurs  Malan 
and  Cheneviere.  To  the  latter,  more  especially,  I  am 
indebted  for  many  favours.  He  is  professor  of  theology 
in  the  university  of  Geneva ;  and  though  a  Socinian  in 
his  religious  opinions,  yet  a  truly  just  and  upright  man. 

Monsieur  Cheneviere  was  the  only  true  and  sincere 
friend  that  I  met  with  at  Geneva.  His  views  on  religious 
matters,  I  do  not  by  any  means  approve  at  this  time, 
though  when  at  Geneva,  I  entered  into  them  with  the 
greatest  ardour  ;  not  that  I  liked  Socinianism  for  its  own 
sake,  but  rather  because  it  approached  nearer  to  my  own 
system  of  natural  religion,  into  which  I  had  been  hurled 
through  disgust  of  popish  superstitions.  Were  we  to 
judge  of  the  truth  or  falsehood  of  a  religion  from  the 
lives  of  its  professors,  Socinianism,  judging  it  from  the 
lives  of  some  of  its  professors  at  Geneva,  and  more 
especially  from  the  life  of  Cheneviere,  would  be  found  a 
much  safer  religion,  and  much  more  in  accordance  with 
the  gospel  precepts,  than  a  truly  evangelical  Christianity, 
when  judged  by  the  lives  of  some  of  those  who,  making 
themselves  champions  for  the  truth,  '^'^  as  it  is  in  Jesus,'* 
take  very  little  care  to  practise  any  of  the  doctrines  and 
precepts  of  Jesus.    However  that  may  be,  one  thing  I  am 


276  SIX   YEARS  IN   THE 

convinced  of  is  this,  "  that  if  the  divinity  of  the  FoundCT 
of  Christianity  is  not  an  essential  article  of  a  Christian's 
belief,  neither  then  is  Christianity  itself  necessary  to  his 
salvation."  If  Christ  be  not  God — a  title  he  has  given 
to  himself — ^he  must  then  be  a  liar,  and  the  greatest  mon- 
ster that  ever  appeared  in  this  world  !  If  those  misguided 
men,  who  deny  the  divinity  of  the  Saviour,  were  but  for 
one  moment  to  reflect  upon  the  awful  consequences  de- 
ducible  from  that  denial,  they  would  certainly  feel  as 
much  shocked,  as  I  myself  have  felt  while  writing  the 
foregoing  sentence ;  and  humbly  cry  out  with  Thomas, 
"  My  Lord  and  my  God.''''  Let  us  hope,  however,  that 
the  fault  of  the  greater  number  of  those,  who  deny  the 
divinity  of  Christ,  is  to  be  attributed  more  to  the  under- 
standing than  to  the  will ;  and  that  He,  whose  power  and 
divinity  they  deny,  will  in  his  own  good  time  convince 
them  of  both  by  changing  their  hearts,  and  thereby  make 
them  fit  for  the  reception  of  so  great  a  truth — a  truth  of 
such  essential  importance,  that  it  has  been  justly  called 
"  the  foundation  stone,  on  which  are  built  the  other  truths 
of  the  Christian  religion." 

I  have  been  led  into  the  foregoing  digression  by  the 
name  of  Mr.  Cheneviere,  a  man  from  whom  I  have 
received  much  kindness,  and  whom  I  esteem  for  his 
moral  virtues,  though  I  cannot  esteem  him  for  the  more 
important  virtues  which  religion  can  produce.  I  am 
very  sure,  however,  that  he  was  a  Socinian,  and  remain- 
ed so,  not  through  any  worldly  motive,  but  because  he 
was  fully  convinced  of  the  truth  of  that  religion.  To 
sum  up  his  character  in  a  few  wofds,  it  may  be  truly 
said  of  him,  "  that  as  a  natural-minded  man,  he  was  little 
below  an  angel ;  but  as  a  theoretical  Christian,  alas  !  he 
was  on  the  road  to  destruction."  If,  however,  his  natural 
disposition,  unassisted  by  divine  illumination,  could  lead 
him  to  be  a  philanthropist,  what  would  he  not  become, 
were  the  clouds  in  which  his  mind  was  enveloped,  dissi- 
pated, and  he  could  be  brought  to  see  and  acknowledge 
the  atoning  love  of  a  divine  Saviour? 

I  had  not  been  many  days  at  Geneva,  before  I  divested 
myself  of  the  mark  of  the  "  beast"  or  of  one  of  them, 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  277 

at  least ; — I  mean,  the  monkish  habit,  which  I  had  the 
gratification  of  burning.  This  was  the  last  remnant  of 
popery  of  which  I  was  in  possession,  having  consigned 
to  the  deep  some  time  before,  while  on  the  passage  to 
Marseilles,  beads,  scapulars,  and  such  like  trumpery. 
Monsieur  Cheneviere  invited  me  to  make  his  house  ray 
home,  until  he  could  have  an  opportunity  of  procuring 
me  a  situation,  by  which  I  could  earn  a  subsistence.  I 
became  one  of  his  family,  and  was  treated  by  every 
individual  member  of  it  with  the  greatest  attention  and 
kindness.  I  shall,  indeed,  ever  retain  a  grateful  remem- 
brance of  Madame  Cheneviere,  and  her  children,  and  must 
always  feel  pleasure,  when  I  recall  to  mind,  the  happy, 
delicious  moments,  I  spent  in  the  society  of  this  amiable 
family.  I  have  not  the  least  doubt,  but  Monsieur  Chene- 
viere would  have  placed  me,  if  I  had  remained  under  his 
protection,  and  in  his  house,  in  the  way  of  becoming 
independent,  and  of  making  reparation  for  the  sacrifice  I 
had  made,  in  quitting  the  profession  on  which  my  future 
advancement  in  life  wholly  depended.  His  influence  was 
very  great,  not  only  at  Geneva,  but  also  in  other  parts  of 
Switzerland ;  indeed,  in  every  place,  where  he  was  known, 
deference  was  paid  to  his  opinion  and  letters.  He  could 
then  very  easily  have  procured  me  employment,  had  I 
not  been  induced  by  the  persuasions  of  self-interested  and 
designing  men  to  quit  his  hospitable  roof,  and  plunge 
myself  headlong  into  the  m.isery,  in  which  I  have  lived 
during  the  last  two  years.  How  this  came  about  will 
need  some  explanation. 

Geneva  is  very  mifch  frequented  by  English  travellers, 
especially  by  those  who  either  really,  or  affectedly,  (the 
latter,  of  course,  being  the  greater  number,)  are  religiously 
inclined.  When  cloyed  by  the  round  of  dissipation  in 
which  they  are  accustomed  to  live  in  the  principal  Italian 
cities,  these  birds  of  passage  (as  the  Italians  call  them) 
betake  themselves  to  Switzerland,  and  not  knowing  what 
else  to  do  with  themselves,  become  as  beastly  religious 
as  they  were  before  beastly  licentious.  As  it  was  the 
fashion,  while  in  Italy,  to  be  a  connoisseur  in  paintings, 
statues,  mosaics,  &c.,  so  the  fashion,  while  at  Geneva, 
25 


27S  SIX   TEARS    IN   THE 

is  changed  into  that  of  being  a  violent  anti-papist,  and  a 
critic  on  popish  superstitions.  These  people  are,  for  the 
most  part,  without  any  religion  whatever.  Their  obser- 
vations on  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  Italians  are 
most  ridiculous,  and  their  strictures  on  popery,  which 
they  do  not  understand,*  most  diverting.  They  en- 
deavour to  speak  of  the  manners,  and  customs,  of  a  peo- 
ple whose  language  they  do  not  understand.  Those  that 
have  acquired  some  smattering  of  it,  pronounce  it  so 
barbarously,  that  the  Italians  can  hardly  keep  their  coun- 
tenances, while  listening  to  the  mutilation  of  their  lan- 
guage. I  have  never  yet  met  with  an  Englishman,  who 
could  speak,  even  tolerably  well,  any  of  the  continental 
languages.! 

To  this  flock  of  wild  geese,  which  I  have  been  describ- 
ing, there  is  generally  attached  a  charlatan,  who  calls 
himself  "  a  clergyman  of  the  church  of  England."  He 
is,  for  the  most  part,  the  youngest  son  of  some  aristocratic 

*  I  remember  to  have  seen  the  following  in  a  book  of  travels, 
written  by  a  cockney,  who  made  the  "grand  four."  "  The  churches 
(at  Rome)  are,  for  the  most  part,  dedicated  to  the  Virgin.  She  is 
styled,  in  the  inscription  over  the  church  doors,  '  equal  to  God  the 
Father' — in  Latin  *  Deiparas  Virgini.'  "  What  a  blunder  !  Had  not 
the  cockney  some  friend,  who  could  inform  him,  that  "  Deiparae"  is 
compounded  of  Deus,  and  pario — to  bring  forth,  and  not  from  Deus 
and  par — equal.  Popery  is  bad  enough,  without  charging  to  her 
account  the  errors  of  those  who  do  not  understand  her,  and  yet 
endeavour  to  describe  and  criticise  her. 

f  The  curious  mistakes  they  make  while  endeavouring  to  translate 
their  English  commands  into  Italian — pure  Italian  to  be  sure — are  most 
laughable.  I  shall  mention  one  of  them.  An  English  traveller,  who 
had  tumbled  by  the  mere  force  of  gravity  from  the  Alps,  (Brooks 
says  so,  not  I,)  found  himself,  (by  what  means,  he  hardly  knew 
himself,)  housed  in  one  of  the  hotels  at  Pisa.  Thinking  it  too  much 
trouble  to  halloo  to  the  servant,  when  he  wanted  any  thing,  he 
directed,  that  a  small  bell  should  be  brought  into  his  room.  Now, 
campanella  means,  in  Italian,  a  small  bell ;  campanile  means,  on  the 
other  hand,  a  belfry.  Our  Englishman,  mistaking  one  word  for  the 
other,  ordered,  that  a  "  campanile"  should  be  brought  to  him.  The 
servant,  nearly  bursting  his  sides  with  laughter,  took  him  to  the 
window,  and  pointing  to  the  belfry  of  the  cathedral,  asked  him  "  if 
that  '  campanile'  would  do  for  him ;  because  then  he  would  be  * 
obliged  to  pay  for  pulling  it  down,  and  transporting  it  into  the  room." 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC.  279 

English  family.  Being  unfit  for  any  thing  else,  he  is 
thrust,  through  the  interest  of  his  family,  into  the  church, 
as  the  only  profession  wherein  his  want  of  qualifications 
could  pass  unnoticed.  This,  very  probably,  is  the  rea- 
son, that  the  church  of  England,  so  pure  and  so  evangeli- 
cally Christian  in  her  doctrines,  approaches  so  very  near 
to  popery  in  her  practices,  and  that  she  has  acquired  for 
herself  the  name  of  "  the  eldest  daughter  of  the  scarlet 
whore." 

The  man  who  called  himself  "  English  chaplain,"  at 
Geneva,  while  I  resided  in  that  city,  was  not,  however, 
either  the  son  of  a  nobleman,  or  even  of  a  private  gen- 
tleman :  he  was  neither  more  nor  less,  than  a  soi-disant 
converted  Jew,  who  sold  his  religion  to  some  of  the 
bishops  of  the  church  of  England,  for  more  than  the 
small  share  of  it  he  possessed  was  worth — for  tivo  hun- 
dred pounds  sterling,  a  wife,  and  ordination.    His  name 

is  M s,  the  worthy  descendant  of  a  Polish  Jew,  who 

established  himself  in  London,  in  the  trade  of  an  old 
clothes-seller,  a  few  years  before  his  scape-grace  son 
thought  proper  to  embrace  Christianity.  The  son,  after 
renouncing — what?  not  the  Jewish  religion  surely — 
well,  after  saying,  "  I  am  a  Christian,"  immediately  ob- 
tained the  ''siller,"  and  the  wife;  who,  by  the  way, 
seems  to  have  been  created  expressly  for  him  ;  so  much 
is  she  like  him  in  littleness  of  mind,  and  deformity  of 
body  and  soul.  Ordination  was  not  received,  however, 
■with  the  same  facility.  The  bishops  scrupled  to  ordain 
so  illiterate  a  man.  Having,  however,  got  him  instructed, 
nnde,  wide,  in  some  way  or  another,  and  being  ashamed 
to  break  their  promise  to  him,  they,  at  length,  ordained 
him  also.  Being  unable  to  obtain  a  curacy,  or  parish  in 
England,  he  set  out  for  Geneva,  and  endeavoured  to  pro- 
cure a  subsistence  for  himself,  and  his  "  didce  bene,"  by 
preaching  a  religion  he  did  not  understand,  to  the  deistical 
English  travellers,  who  winter,  or  summer,  or — what  you 
please,  in  that  city.  These,  however,  soon  grew  tired 
of  his  ignorance,  which  was  only  surpassed  by  his  impu- 
dence, and  he  was  obliged  to  pack  up  his  alls — his  wife 
and  child — and  return  back  to  England.    He  spent  nearly 


280  SIX    YEARS    IN   THK 

six  months,  after  his  return  from  Switzerland,  in  a  state 
of  starvation,  through  the  streets  of  London,  till  Lord 

W ,  compassionating  his  miserable  condition,  gave 

him  a  parish  in  Ireland,  on  his  estate,  near  Arklow.  He 
now  resides  at  the  latter  place,  metamorphosed,  by  the 
magical  hand  of  the  basest  of  Irish  noblemen,  from  a 
Jewish  vagabond  into  a  preacher  of  the  gospel  to  the  poor 
Irish.  What  a  preacher !  How,  indeed,  must  the  Irish 
love  Protestantism,  when  they  have  such  a  sample  of  its 
ministers  before  their  eyes,  as  this  curious  compound  of 
roguery,  deceit,  and  ignorance  presents  !  This  cursed 
Jew  now  actually  receives  in  tithes  more  than  two  thou- 
sand dollars  annually  from  a  starving  population.  He  is 
known  in  Arklow,  and  its  neighbourhood,  as  a  most 
hardhearted,  avaricious,  unfeeling  wretch — a  sure  sign, 
that  when  he  pronounced  the  words,  "  I  am  a  Christian," 
he  had  forgotten  to  throw  off  his  Jewish  propensities.  I 
am  confident,  that  his  presence  in  Ireland  is  worth  more 
than  2000/.  sterling  to  the  popish  priests,  who  can  point 
him  out  to  their  flock,  as  an  example  of  the  effects  of 
Protestantism.  If  there  were  a  dozen — and  thank  God 
there  are  not  half  that  number — of  such  Protestant  clergy- 
men in  Ireland,  the  priests  would  sing  a  "  Te  Deum," 
and  thank  the  land-owners,  and  tithe-owners,  and  middle- 
men, &c.  for  sending  among  them  so  many  foreign  vaga- 
bonds, by  whose  endeavours  they  might  be  assisted  in 
imposing  on  the  people  ;  for  the  pernicious  example  of 

Rabbi  M -s,  and  his  coadjutors,  would  have  as  much 

effect  in  increasing  the  priests'  power  over  the  people,  as 
the  endeavours  of  the  priests  themselves. 

I  have  entered  into  a  longer  description  of  this  Judaiz- 
ing  Protestant  clergyman  than  I  at  first  intended.  I  know 
that  what  I  have  written  of  him  is  literally  the  truth. 
His  early  life  I  learned  at  Geneva  from  those  who  knew 
him  well ;  and  his  present  condition  I  know  from  per- 
sonal observation  made  during  a  residence  of  some  time, 
near  his  parish.  Let  not,  however,  any  one  imagine, 
that  I  have  brought  his  name  forward  in  this  book,  in 
order  to  injure  him  in  the  public  estimation.  This  book 
will  never  be  seen  by  those  whose  duty  it  would  be  to 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  281 

remove  so  great  a  disgrace  from  the  respectable  body  of 
Irish  clergy,  and  therefore  it  cannot  be  through  any  mo- 
tive of  that  kind  that  I  make  mention  of  him.  It  might, 
perhaps,  be  suspected,  that  I  do  it  in  order  to  vent  my 
spleen  against  one  who  treated  me  unkindly  ;  and  that  I 
magnify  "his  faults,  and  pass  over  his  virtues,  in  order  to 
make  his  character  more  detestable.  I  can  only  say,  in 
answer,  that  were  I  desirous  of  venting  my  spleen,  I 
would  have  taken  some  other  method  of  doing  so,  besides 
contaminating  the  pages  of  this  work  by  the  introduction 
of  private  quarrels.-  As  to  my  magnifying  his  faults, 
there  is  no  occasion  for  me  to  take  that  trouble  ;  for  they 
are  already  as  conspicuous  as  the  most  powerful  lens 
could  possibly  make  them.  His  virtues,  I  must  confess,  I 
have  never  been  able  to  discover  ;  and  his  nearest  friends, 
however  lynx-eyed  they  might  be  in  looking  for  them, 
must,  I  believe,  confess  the  same.  I  have  simply  brought 
him  forward,  as  being  the  person  by  whose  perfidy  I 
have  been  precipitated  into  the  greatest  difficulties,  and 
who  endeavoured  to  make  me  the  tool,  by  which  he 
might  acquire  a  name  for  himself — the  name  of  having 
converted  a  popish  priest. 

I  was  residing  in  the  family  of  Monsieur  Cheneviere, 

when  my  evil  stars  brought  me  acquainted  with  M 

and  another  English  clergyman,  who  was  at  that  time 

vegetating  at  Geneva.     The  latter's  name  is  D n. 

He  was,  when  I  knevv  him,  travelling  tutor  (a  kind  of 
upper  valet-de-chainbre)  to  Lord  Jocelyn,  son  to  the  Earl 
of  Roden,  and  nephew  to  the  Bishop  of  Clogher,  the  same 
with  him  icho  disgraced  himself  and  the  church  not  many 

years  ago.     D n  made  himself  nearly  as  conspicuous 

as  M s  in  seducing  me.    This  ''par  yiobilefratrum," 

this  pair  of  clerical  miscreants  so  worked  on  my  mind  by 
their  deceitful  promises,  that  I  at  last,  in  an  evil  hour, 
consented  to  withdraw  from  the  protection  of  my  kind 
friend  Cheneviere,  and  commit  myself  friendless  and 
destitute  to  an  unfeeling  world.  They  promised  that  they 
would  obtain  for  me  admission  into  the  church  of  Eng- 
land, as  one  of  her  ministers,  and  persuaded  me  to 
go  to  London,  where  they  would  introduce  me  by  letter 
25* 


282  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

to  the  Reformation  Society.  I  consented,  and — was 
undone. 

Upon  my  arrival  in  London,  nearly  penniless,  I  en- 
deavoured to  earn  a  subsistence  by  teaching.  The  only 
person  vi'ho  took  the  least  notice  of  me,  was  Lieutenant 
R d,  who  was  at  that  time  secretary  to  the  Reforma- 
tion Society.  So  far  Trom  being  able  to  obtain  employ- 
ment as  a  clergyman,  I  could  not   obtain  it  even  as  a 

schoolmaster.     Lieutenant  R d  told  me  plainly,  that 

I  had  been  deceived,  and  that  neither  D n  nor  M s 

had  the  power,  nor  the  interest,  nor  indeed  the  will,  of 
keeping  their  promises  to  me.  It  was  evident,  that  all 
they  wanted  was  the  name  of  having  made  a  convert, 
quite  regardless  what  might  be  the  future  lot  of  that  un- 
fortunate convert.  My  religious  opinions  were  decidedly 
Socinian.  Of  this  I  made  no  secret.  Those  who  wished 
to  persuade  me  that  Christ  was  God,  made  use  of  argu- 
ments which  only  strengthened  me  in  my  own  opinion. 
Their  arguments  were  persecution.  Indeed,  I  found  as 
much  bigotry  and  uncharitablene'ss  in  the  greater  part  of  the 
clergymen  of  the  church  of  England,  with  whom  I  became 
acquainted,  as  I  ever  had  found  in  a  monk-house.  Nor  is 
this  any  wonder.  The  church  established  "  by  law,"  in 
England  is,  in  her  practices,  though  not  in  her  doctrines, 
but  very  litde  removed  from  popery.  Her  clergy  are,  for 
the  most  part,  distinguished  for  a  persecuting  spirit  against 
those  who  dissent  from  her  institutions  and  doctrines. 
Many  of  the  English  clergy  do  not  even  understand  the 
spirit  of  their  church,  and  not  few  might  be  found,  who 
never  read  the  thirty-nine  articles,  which  they  swear  to, 
before  their  ordination.  They  embraced  the  ecclesiasti- 
cal state  as  a  profession,  and  because  some  rich  livings 
were  in  the  gift  of  their  families  and  friends.  What 
popery  is  in  Italy,  the  national  church  is  in  England : 
with  this  sole  difference,  that  the  former  is  corrupt  both 
in  doctrine  and  practice;  the  latter  in  practice. on/y. 

I  spent  five  months  in  London,  in  a  most  miserable 
condition.     The  letters  which  I  sent  to  my  false  friends 

at  Geneva,  were  never  answered.     D n  and  M s 

had  obtained  their  ends.     I"  had  served  their  purpose — I 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,  ETC.  283 

was  converted,  and  converted  through  their  means,  (so  at 
leas't  they  hjingly  reported,)  and  they  required  nothing 
more.  Lieutenant  Rhind  wrote  to  D n  for  my  ec- 
clesiastical papers,  which  I  had  intrusted  to  his  care, 
while  at  Geneva.  His  answer  was,  "  that  he  had  not 
them ;"  thus  adding  a  breach  of  trust  to  his  perfidious 
and  ungentlemanly  conduct.  Finding  my  situation  no 
longer  supportable,  and  being  ashamed  to  seek  an  asylum 
from  my  family  in  Ireland,  after  the  step  I  had  taken,  I 
resolved  to  return  to  the  continent  again,  and  endeavour 
to  find  that  subsistence  among  foreigners,  which  was 
denied  me  in  England,  on  account  of  the  bigotry  and 
bad  faith  of  those  who  call  themselves  "  friends  of  the 
gospel."  The  following  two  years,  I  spent  partly  in 
France,  and  partly  in  the  islands  of  the  Mediterranean 
under  British  government,  and  at  Smyrna,  Asia  Minor. 

I  have  been  thus  diffuse  in  relating  the  manner  of  my 
escape  from  monkery,  and  the  treatment  I  received  from 
cold-hearted,  selfish  men,  who  call  themselves  Protestants, 
in  order  that  the  reader  might  be  able  to  form  a  judgment 
of  the  difficulties  thrown  in  the  way  of  those  who  desert 
from  the  ranks  of  popery.  There  are,  to  my  certain 
knowledge,  hundreds  of  popish  priests  in  England,  and 
Ireland,  who  would  leave  popery  to-morrow,  if  they  had 
the  means  of  subsisting  without  it.  While  English  Pro- 
testants are  so  lukewarm  and  selfish,  there  is  very  little 
probability  that  they  will  leave  the  ease  and  affluent  e  of 
their  professions,  for  the  poverty  and  hardships  they  are 
most  likely  to  undergo  as  Protestants, 


284  SIX   YEARS    IN    THE 


CHAPTER  XXVIIl. 

State  of  religion  in  Malta — Number  of  popish  priests — Their  ig- 
norance— Ignorance  of  the  people — Bishop  Caruana — Power  of 
the  pope  in  Malta — Anecdote  of  a  Maltese  attorney — Doctor  Naudi 
— Maltese  medical  college — Naudi's  treachery — He  is  found  out 
by  an  English  missionary — Maltese  monks — Number  of  monas- 
teries in  Malta — Paulotists — Dominicans — Carmelites — Ignorance 
of  the  Maltese  monks — Convent  of  Capuchins  at  Malta — Padre 
Pietro,  the  Capuchin  Custod£ — Padre  Calcedonio — Story  of  a 
child  violated  by  him  in  Santa  Maura — He  is  sent  to  the  galleys — 
Remission  of  his  sentence  through  the  influence  of  Gen.  Rivarola 
— Esteemed  as  a  saint  by  the  Maltese. 

The  how,  the  when,  and  the  wherefore,  I  visited  the 
island  of  Malta,  can  be  but  of  little,  if  indeed  any,  impor- 
tance to  the  reader.  Be  it  sufficient  therefore  to  men- 
tion, that  I  established  myself  in  that  island,  not  long 
after  my  escape  from  monastic  slavery.  I  shall  then,  in 
this  and  the  following  chapter,  endeavour  to  give  an 
account  of  the  actual  state  of  popery,  and  of  the  popish 
priesthood,  with  which  which  it  is  pestered.  This  ac- 
count drawn  from  personal  observations  made  during  the 
seven  months  1  resided  in  the  island,  will  not,  I  hope,  be 
wholly  void  of  interest.  My  means  of  acquiring  informa- 
tion on  this  subject  were  imlimited,  for  I  had  easy  access 
to  some  of  the  principal  Maltese  families,  and  had  an 
extensive  acquaintance  among  the  clergy.  Its  accuracy 
may  be  the  more  relied  upon,  because,  at  that  time, 
worldly  prudence,  and  the  fear  of  persecution,  made  me 
dissemble  my  real  belief  in  religious  matters,  and  there- 
fore I  could  observe  without  any  suspicion.  The  perse- 
cution which  I  so  much  feared,  came  in  the  end,  and 
annoyed  me  not  a  little,  so  that  I  thought  it  prudent  to 
leave  the  island.  My  former  profession  was  discovered 
by  a  monk,  who  came  from  Rome  to  Malta,  on  some 
business  of  his  order,  and  who  was  one  of  my  college 
companions.     He  soon  recognised  me,  and  readily  ac- 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  285 

quainted  Monsignor  the  Bishop  of  my  real  profession, 
who  thought  himself  justified  in  exciting  a  persecution 
against  me,  and  of  representing  me  as  a  heretic,  and  as 
one  excommunicated  for  having,  without  proper  authority, 
thrown  off  the  Franciscan  habit. 

There  are  in  the  small  island  of  Malta,  and  another 
island  still  smaller  attached  to  it,  which  is  called  Gozo, 
more  than  five  hundred  priests,  averaging  on  the  whole, 
one  priest  to  every  one  hundred  and  fifty  inhabitants.  It 
may  be  supposed  then,  that  people  so  well  supplied  with 
pastors,  should  be  also  well  instructed  in  the  doctrines  of 
Christianity.  Quite  the  contrary,  however,  is  the  case, 
for  very  few,  indeed  not  one  in  a  hundred  of  this  crowd- 
ed population  knows  how  to  read  and  write,  and  as  for 
understanding  the  leading  points  of  Christianity,  the 
greater  number  of  the  priests  themselves  do  not  under- 
stand farther  of  them  than  reciting  a  few  prayers  in  a 
language,  of  which  they  are  as  ignorant  as  they  are 
of  every  polite  accomplishment — I  mean  the  Latin  lan- 
guage— for  there  are  not  ten  priests  in  the  island,  who 
can  be  said  to  perfectly  understand  it.  How  then  could 
they  teach  their  flock,  what  they  do  not  understand  them- 
selves ?  unless  indeed  it  is  not  necessary  for  a  teacher  to 
understand  what  he  teaches.  The  people  know  very 
well  how  to  mumble  over  in  barbarous  Latin  (a  hodge- 
podge of  Maltese,  Italian  and  Latin,  which  is  incompre- 
hensible as  well  to  the  scholar  as  to  those  that  mutter  it,) 
Pater  no'sters  and  Ave  Maria's  before  the  images  of  the 
Virgin  and  other  saints,  to  go  and  prostrate  themselves  to 
obtain  remission  of  their  sins  at  the  feet  of  some  clownish 
priest,  to  attend  at  the  idolatrous  ceremony  of  the  mass, 
and  throw  themselves  on  their  knees  before  a  consecrated 
wafer  and  worship  it  as  their  God !  If  this  be  Chris- 
tianity, I  must  confess  that  they  are  excellent  Christians  ; 
and  their  pastors,  faithful  and  Christian  ministers  ;  for 
they  take  no  small  pains  to  teach  the  people  to  be  con- 
versant and  skilled  in  things  of  this  kind.  But  if  these 
things,  so  far  from  being  Christianity,  can  with  more  pro- 
priety be  called  by  their  true  name  anti-Christianity,  what 
then  must  we  think  of  a  church,  which  thus  leads  so 


286  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

many  immortal  souls  headlong  into  the  gulf  of  error  and 
perdition,  by  teaching  for  the  doctrines  of  Christ,  the 
doctrines  of  anti-Christ,  and  pointing  out  as  the  road  to 
salvation,  the  road  to  perdition  and  death. 

Very  few  of  this  benighted  people  thus  led  astray  by 
the  teaching  of  those  who  are  set  over  them  for  guides, 
have  any  suspicion,  for  they  are  too  ignorant,  of  the  mon- 
strous errors  which  they  are  taught  to  regard  as  the 
Christian  faith:  they  place  infinite  trust  in  their  priests, 
and  implicitly  obey  their  every  command.  These,  again, 
are  subservient  to  the  bishop,  who,  in  turn,  depends  upon 
the  court  of  Rome  ;  so  that  the  pope  may  be  said  to  have 
the  whole  government  of  the  ecclesiastical  affairs  of  the 
island  directly  in  his  own  hands.  It  must  not  be  suppos- 
ed ;nat  every  bishop  who  governs  the  island  of  Malta  in 
the  name  of  the  pope,  is  in  reality  sincerely  attached  to 
him  or  his  religion  :  the  contrary  is  very  often  the  case. 
Caruana,  the  present  bishop,  is  supposed  by  a  great  many 
to  be  a  confirmed  Deist,  and  to  yield  implicit  obedience 
to  the  court  of  Rome,  only  through  fear  of  being  deposed, 
and  of  losing  thereby  his  princely  income.  He  well  knows, 
that  were  he  to  act  otherwise,  English  protection,  if  granted 
to  him,  would  not  be  sufficient  to  keep  him  in  his  see, 
contrary  to  the  endeavours  and  chicanery  of  the  Roman 
court,  which,  in  a  short  time,  and  for  the  trouble  of  issu- 
ing the  sentence  of  suspension,  would  have  the  entire 
clergy,  with  few  exceptions,  and  with  them  the  people 
on  its  side,  as  executioners  of  its  mandate.  Tlie  bishop 
therefore  is  obliged  to  keep  himself  quiet,  and  show  him- 
self even  zealous  in  enforcing  by  words  and  example  the 
doctrines  of  Rome,  and  in  riveting  more  and  more  the 
chains  by  which  the  people  are  kept  in  subjection  to  her 
soul-destroying  superstitions.  Some  few  Maltese  there 
are,  whose  better  judgments  and  more  enlightened  minds, 
would  excite  them  to  cast  off  the  galling  shackles  of 
popery  ;  but  they  fear  the  monstrum  horrendum,  the 
people,  and  the  persecution,  which  they  may  be  sure  to 
meet  with,  on  its  being  known  that  they  had  taken  such 
a  step.  The  prospects  in  life  also  of  those  who  depend 
for  support  on  the  emoluments  flowing  from  their  profes- 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,    ETC.  287 

sions  would  be  materially  injured.  If  there  be  any  su- 
periority of  mind  and  feelings  among  this  degraded  people, 
degraded  through  the  blighting  influence  of  popery,  this 
superiority  must  be  looked  for  among  the  physicians, 
surgeons,  advocates,  attorneys,  and  other  professional 
men.  But  these,  for  the  most  part,  depend  for  subsis- 
tence on  their  profession  ;  if  then  they  should  decline  in 
the  public  estimation,  their  practice  in  their  professions 
would  be  materially  injured.  They,  therefore,  whatever 
be  their  real  opinions,  are  obliged  to  conform  themselves 
to  the  reigning  superstitions,  for  they  are  well  aware  of 
the  priests'  power,  in  exciting  the  popular  feelings,  and 
of  the  consequence  of  their  being  proclaimed  heretics  by 
these  enemies  of  all  true  religion. 

One  Maltese  gentleman  in  particular — an  attorney  of 
great  practice,  with  whom  I  was  on  terms  of  intimacy—- 
upon  having  received  some  cause  of  uneasiness  from  the 
meddling  of  priests  in  his  private  concerns,  exclaimed  one 
day  in. my  presence,  while  on  a  visit  to  him,  "that  he 
hoped  to  see  the  day  that  the  last  king  would  be  strangled 
with  the  entrails  of  the  last  priest."  It  may  be  supposed 
that  he  had  received  some  unusual  provocation,  before  he 
could  be  excited  to  make  use  of  such  strong,  and  indeed, 
not  very  becoming  language,  which,  by  the  way,  he  bor- 
rowed from  the  French  revolutionists  of  '89.  What  his 
provocation  at  that  time  was,  I  am  not  aware,  but  I  know 
that  he  suffered  not  a  little  in  his  character  and  practice 
through  suspicions  of  heterodoxy  cast  upon  him  by  the 
popish  priests  ;  nor  did  he  take  much  pains  to  prove  false 
such  suspicions,  for,  though  in  the  transactions  of  busi- 
ness, and  in  his  private  character,  he  exhibited  himself  a 
strictly  honest  and  honourable  man,  yet  he  never,  as  far 
as  I  could  learn,  went  to  either  mass,  church,  or  meeting, 
or  to  any  place  appointed  for  divine  worship.  He  had, 
however,  a  Deodati's  Bible  in  his  possession,  and  was 
accustomed  to  read  it  frequendy,  (for  the  beauty  of  the 
language  he  said  himself,)  for  the  instruction  and  consola- 
tion which  the  divine  word  imparts,  I  was  inclined  to 
suspect,  rather.  Be  his  motives  for  reading  it  what  they 
may,  I  always  was  of  opinion,  that  he  was  a  zealous, 


288  SIX    TEARS    IN    THE 

though  a  hidden  favourer  of  the  Christianity  which  it 
teaches,  and  an  enemy  of  the  corrupt  Christianity  of 
Rome,  however  he  may  restrain  himself,  through  pruden- 
tial motives,  from  manifesting  that  enmity. 

Another  Maltese,  a  physician,  by  the  name  of  Naudi, 
and  professor  in  the  medical  college  of  Malta,*  had  pri- 
vately embraced  the  reformed  religion,  and  seemed  so 
sincere  in  his  convictions  of  the  errors  of  popery,  and  in 
his  love  for  the  doctrines  of  the  Bible,  that  he  was  appoint- 
ed by  some  English  Bible  society,  its  agent  in  Malta, 
and  granted  a  yearly  salary  from  the  same  in  considera- 
tion of  his  trouble.  He  continued  for  more  than  two 
years  in  this  connexion  with  the  society,  and  apparently 
labouring  for  it  to  the  best  of  his  abilities,  so  that  the 
sum  which  he  received  in  payment  of  his  trouble,  seemed 
by  the  managers  very  profitably  laid  out ;  when  it  was 
discovered  that  he  had  almost  from  the  beginning,  entered 
into  a  private  agreement  with  the  superior  clergy  of  Malta 
to  betray  the  cause  he  had  embarked  in,  and  thwart,  in- 
stead of  advancing  its  exertions  in  the  cause  of  Christ. 
It  seems,  that  soon  after  his  being  appointed  as  an  officer 
of  the  Bible  society,  he  had  agreed  with  the  bishop  to  act 
so  in  his  relations  with  it,  that  his  efforts  would  rather 
tend  to  the  advancement  of  popery,  than  to  the  advantage 
of  the  Bible  cause.  To  secure  himself  against  the  tongues 
of  his  countrymen,  who  would  certainly  judge,  from  his 
outward  activity  in  distributing  Bibles,  that  he  was  an 

*  Malta  has  also  its  medical  college,  instituted,  D'ds  iratis,  for  the 
destruction  of  the  poor  Levantines ;  as  from  it  are  sent  forth  the  host 
of  ignorant  quacks,  with  not  even  a  superficial  knowledge  of  medicine 
or  surgery,  but  who  are  nevertheless  diplomatized,  and  graduated  in 
this  so  called  medical  university,'  and  then  scatter  themselves  through 
all  Turkey,  and  Egypt,  the  harbingers  of  death  and  destruction  to 
all  who  submit-  to  their  unskilful  treatment.  Nothing  can  surpass 
this  class  of  gentry  in  ignorance  and  roguery,  but  their  presumption 
and  avarice.  The  former  carries  them  through  thick  and  thin  with 
the  more  honest  and  less  cunning,  though  perhaps  more  enlightened 
Turks  ;  the  latter  excites  them  to  amass  money,  no  matter  how,  and 
by  what  fraudulent  contrivances ;  with  which  they  return  after  a  few 
years,  (if  not  cut  off  before  then  by  the  plague,)  to  their  rockv  home, 
to  spend  it  and  laugh  at  the  duped  Turks. 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALY,  ETC.  301 

lodgings,  at  Malta,  under  the  title  of  the  Rev.  T.  Butler, 
D.  D. — the  last  two  letters  meaning,  I  presume,  '■^drunken 
Dominican,''''  for  he  certainly  deserves  this  title  better 
than  that  of  "  doctor  of  divinity,"  as  his  very  great 
ignorance  shows  him  to  have  no  claim  whatever  to  the 
latter,  whereas  the  tippling  propensities,  for  which  he  is 
remarkable,  (and  for  which,  perhaps,  he  provoked  the 
reproof  from  his  Dominican  superior,  that  excited  him 
to  leave  the  order,)  establish  his  right  to  the  former 
title.* 

The  ruling  passion  of  this  man,  next  to  indulging  in 
the  use  of  intoxicating  drinks,  seems  to  be  the  converting, 
or  rather  perverting,  to  the  holy  Roman  Catholic  faith — • 
what  high  sounding  adjectives  to  a  substantive  without 
a  substance — the  weak  Protestants  attached  to  the  army  ; 
those  whose  early  education  was  neglected,  and  who  are 
Protestants  only  in  name,  without  the  slightest  know- 
ledge of  the  vital  truths  of  Protestantism.  People  of  this 
class  being  dazzled  with  the  gaudy  trappings,  and  theatri- 
cal pageantry  of  popery,  become  an  easy  prey  to  the 
Jesuitical  mancEuvres  of  the  Maltese  priests,  and  more 
especially,  to  the  endeavours  of  Butler,  who  lets  slip  no 
opportunity  of  making  proselytes,  not  so  much  through 
«ny  love  he  holds  to  Christianity,  for  his  scandalous  life 
proclaims  him  an  infidel,  as  for  the  sake  of  gaining  credit 
for  himself  by  their  conversion.  He  makes  it  his  boast 
that  during  the  five  years  he  has  been  chaplain  in  Malta, 
he  has  had  the  honour  of  making  six  converts,  partly  men 
and  partly  women,  and  all  of  the  lower  class  of  English 
attached  to  the  army.  In  illustration  of  the  manner  in 
which  this  hero  carries  on  his  proselytizing  system,  the 
following  example  will  not  be  thought  wholly  irrelevant. 

*  Justice  obliges  me  to  add,  that  the  Maltese  clergy,  among  the 
mass  of  vices  for  which  they  are  distinguished,  have  one  good 
quality — that  of  detesting  intoxication.  I  do  not  know  one  single 
individual  among  them  who  has  ever  been  found  guilty  of  drunken- 
ness, in  public  at  least,  or  in  private  either,  I  am  inclined  to  think. 
They  refrain  constitutionally  from  excess  in  intoxicating  drinks. 
The  appearance  of  Butler  among  them,  and  of  another  English- 
not  Irish — priest,  since  dead,  very  much  scandalized  them. 
27 


302  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

An  English  Protestant  of  the  name  of  Muller,  long 
time  a  resident  in  Malta,  where  he  was  employed  in  the 
civil  government,  had  from  his  infancy  lived  without 
God,  and  had  nothing  of  the  Protestant  about  him,  but 
the  name,  which  he  acquired  from  his  parents  being  of 
that  denomination.  Being  seized  with  a  lingering  illness, 
the  bed  of  sickness  brought  forcibly  to  his  mind  his  ill- 
spent  life,  and  his  neglect  of  God  and  religion,  while  in 
the  enjoyment  of  health.  Feeling  his  end  fast  approach- 
ing, he  sent  for  the  Protestant  chaplain  of  the  forces,  a 
Mr.  Mesurier,  and  begged  him  to  pray  with  him,  and  to 
lay  open  the  hopes  that  a  dying  sinner  can  lay  hold  on 
for  obtaining  happiness  in  the  next  world.  Mr.  Mesurier 
found  the  unfortunate  man  totally  ignorant  of  the  first 
principles  of  Christianity,  and  had  to  explain  to  him,  as 
to  an  infant,  every  thing  relating  to  the  Christian  religion  ; 
such  as  the  love  of  God  to  mankind,  who  sent  down  his 
only  begotten  Son,  to  be  offered  up  as  a  sacrifice  to  his 
offended  majesty  for  their  sins,  and  other  things  of 
this  kind.  He  had  never  read  the  Bible  in  his  life, 
and  ignorance  made  him  doubt  of  all  religions.  With 
.some  difficulty,  and  great  perseverance,  (for  his  sickness 
was  a  long  one,  of  more  than  three  months'  continuance,) 
Mesurier  brought  him  to  understand  and  believe  in  some 
of  the  most  essential  articles  of  revelation,  and  had  him 
fully  prepared  and  reconciled  to  depart  from  this  world, 
trusting  and  relying  on  the  merits  of  his  Redeemer  for 
salvation.  In  this  state  of  mind,  the  man  expired  in  the 
presence  of  Mr.  Mesurier.  The  deceased  had  a  sister 
living  with  him,  who  took  care  of  his  household  concerns, 
(for  he  was  never  married,)  one  that  was  as  ignorant  as 
himself  of  vital  religion.  This,  her  ignorance,  made  her 
an  easy  prey  to  the  Maltese  priests  ;  and  she  had,  some 
time  before  her  brother's  illness,  and  without  his  know- 
ledge, renounced  the  errors  of  Protestantism,  as  the 
doctrines  of  the  Bible  are  called  by  papists,  in  the  hands 
of  Father  Butler. 

During  her  brother's  illness,  she  often  attempted  to 
have  his  permission  to  bring  that  priest  to  see  him ;  but 
he  always  refused  ;  being  unwilling  to   have  his  last 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  303 

moments  disturbed  by  the  presence  of  one,  who,  he  well 
knew,  putting  religion  out  of  the  question,  showed  no 
very  good  example  to  his  followers.  The  breath  how- 
ever had  no  sooner  left  his  body,  and  the  Protestant 
clergyman  departed,  than  away  she  runs  for  Father  But- 
ler, as  it  had  already  been  agreed  upon  between  them. 
The  latter  arrives  at  the  dead  man's  late  residence  out  of 
breath  with  haste,  and  pulling  out  his  oil-horn,  he  sets 
about  greasing  the  inanimate  corpse,  and  going  through 
the  other  ceremonies  practised  at  the  administration  of 
extreme  unction.  This  being  finished,  the  sister  then 
began  to  wail,  and  externate  her  grief  for  her  brother's 
death  in  a  thousand  ridiculous  ways,  chiefly  for  the  sake 
of  attracting  the  notice  of  the  neighbours,  who  were  yet 
io-norant  of  his  demise.  These  assembled  to  condole 
with  the  bereaved  sister,  and  finding  Father  Butler  in 
the  house,  and  the  body  of  the  deceased  still  wet  from 
the  oil,  with  which  it  was  besmeared,  they  immediately 
gave  out,  that  Muller  had  died  a  Roman  Catholic  through 
the  pious  exertions  of  Father  Butler,  whose  fame  for 
having  drawn  his  soul  from  the  jaws  of  hell,  to  which 
the  Maltese  ciiaritably  consign  all  who  die  Protestants, 
resounded  in  the  mouths  of  all.  The  dead  body  was 
borne  by  the  people  in  triumph  to  the  nearest  church, 
and  placed  on  a  bier,  designed  for  that  purpose  in  the 
middle  of  the  aisle,  where  it  was  surrounded  by  wax- 
candles,  while  masses  were  celebrated  for  the  repose  of 
the  soul,  which  formerly  resided  in  it. 

This  was  a  day  of  triumph  to  the  priests  of  Malta. 
They  little  cared  about  the  truth  of  the  conversion,  or  the 
sanctity  of  the  subject  of  it :  all  they  wanted  was  the 
name,  and  that  they  acquired  by  the  arts  already  related. 
The  Protestant  chaplain,  who  knew  how  affairs  stood, 
and  who  saw  the  man  expire  in  his  own  presence,  told 
his  friends  and  those  who  would  listen  to  him,  the  whole 
truth  ;  but  it  would  be  no  easy  matter  to  make  the  Mal- 
tese think  themselves  deceived,  or  make  them  aware  of 
the  cheat  practised  on  their  credulity.  Conscious  of 
having  done  his  duty,  and  the  press  being  restricted  by 
the  policy  of  the  government,  Mesurier  "was  obliged  to 


304  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

let  the  thing  drop,  and  thus  pass  over  in  silence  as  great 
a  violation  of  truth  and  honesty  as  ever  shone  forth  in 
the  annals  of  popish  fiction.  The  occurrence  was 
published  in  some  of  the  English  papers,  and  sent  out  to 
Malta  ;  but  the  Maltese  loved  to  be  deceived,  and  they, 
to  this  day,  believe  in  the  possibility  of  a  Protestant  be- 
coming reconciled  to  popery,  even  after  death  ;  for  such 
must  be  the  view,  the  worthy  actor  in  the  affair,  Butler, 
had  taken  of  it,  in  order  to  reconcile  to  his  conscience 
the  sanctioning  of  such  a  falsehood  ;  if  indeed  the  man  be 
troubled  with  any  such  thing  as  a  conscience. 

This,  I  believe,  was  Father  Buder's  first  attempt  at 
making  converts.  I  shall  relate  another,  and  then  be 
done  with  him. 

An  English  woman,  who  was  engaged  as  a  servant  in. 
an  American  merchant's  house  at  Smyrna,  Asia  Minor, 
related  the  following  story  of  her  conversion  to  popery 
by  the  instrumentality  of  our  Irish  hero.  Father  Butler. 
The  94th  regiment  of  infantry  passing  through  Gosport, 
prior  to  its  embarkation  for  Gibraltar,  she  unfortunately 
became  acquainted  with  an  Irish  sergeant  of  that  regi- 
ment in  this,  her  native  town  ;  and,  contrary  to  the  advice 
of  her  parents  and  friends,  was  married  to  him.  His  first 
care,  after  marriage,  was  to  endeavour  to  convert  her,  his 
wife,  from  her  own  religion  to  popery.  This  he  at  first 
attempted  by  fair  means  and  gentleness;  but  finding  these 
of  no  avail,  he  had  recourse  to  violent  measures  and  even 
stripes.  On  the  regiment's  being  ordered  to  Gibraltar, 
he  immediately  brought  her  under  the  notice  of  a  Spanish 
prifest,  who  acts  as  chaplain  to  the  British  Roman  Catho- 
lic soldiers  of  that  garrison.  The  poor  woman  was  a 
long  time  pesterecl  with  this  man's  arguments.  The  only 
thing  she  had  to  plead  in  excuse  for  not  being  immedi- 
ately converted,  and  in  order  to  deprecate  the  anger  of  her 
husband,  was  her  being  unable  to  understand  his  barba- 
rous English.  This  plea  served  her  but  little,  for  her 
husband's  ill  treatment  grew  worse  daily  at  her  obstinacy, 
as  he  was  pleased  to  call  her  attachment  to  the  religion 
of  her  childhood  :  indeed  the  poor  creature,  having  been 
blessed  with  a  religious  education,  and  being  able  to  ren- 


MONAS'l'ERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  305 

der  an  account  of  the  hope  in  her,  had  no  inclination 
whatever  to  change  it  for  a  religion  she  justly  thought 
erroneous.  After  the  regiment's  removal  to  Malta,  she 
came  into  the  fangs  of  our  hero,  Father  Butler,  and  even 
then,  though  she  could  not  plead  in  excuse  the  not  under- 
standing his  language,  (though  indeed  his  English  is 
not  the  most  Johnsonian,  nor  his  pronunciation  quite  in 
accordance  with  the  rules  laid  down  by  Walker,)  yet  she 
persisted  in  adhering  to  the  religion  of  the  Bible.  The 
father's  patience  was  worn  out  in  catechising  her,  and 
her  husband's  in  beating  her,  before  she  consented  to 
deny  her  religion  ;  and  it  is  remarkable,  that  her  husband 
grew  more  cruel  and  more  morose  toward  her  since  her 
removal  to  Malta,  which  she  attributed  to  the  fatherly 
advice  of  Father  Butler.  The  latter  one  day  told  her  in 
English  plain  enough,  and  which  she  could  not  misunder- 
stand, "  that  unless  she  made  up  her  mind  to  embrace  the 
Roman  Catholic  religion  by  a  certain  time,"  (fixing  one 
or  two  weeks  from  the  time  of  his  speaking,)  "  that  she 
may  give  up  all  hopes  of  ever  living  in  peace  with  her 
husband."  The  poor  woman  thus  combated  on  all  sides, 
and  having  no  one  to  recur  to,  for  she  feared  her  hus- 
band's anger,  if  she  went  to  a  Protestant  clergyman,  at 
last  yielded,  and  added  one  more  to  the  number  of  Butler's 
converts.  She  publicly  renounced  Protestantism  at  the 
Jesuit's  church,  which  is  now  given  up  entirely  to  ths  use 
of  the  English  soldiers,  amid  the  applauses  and  clamours 
of  the  bigoted  popish  soldiers  and  others,  who  were  pre- 
sent on  the  occasion.  She  nearly  fainted  at  the  foot  of  the 
altar,  whither  she  went  to  receive  the  Eucharist,  after 
pronouncing  the  words  of  renunciation ;  her  conscience 
probably  smiting  her  for  acting  contrary  to  its  dictates. 
All  things  considered,  she  showed  herself  a  heroine,  and 
deserved  a  better  fate  than  to  be  joined  to  a  bigoted  papist. 
The  wonder  is  that  she  held  out  so  long,  rather  than  that 
she  yielded  in  the  end.  Her  husband  not  long  after  her 
pseudo-conversion,  being  reduced  to  the  ranks  for  some 
misdemeanor,  gave  himself  up  to  drunkenness  and  de- 
bauchery, as  much  as  a  man  under  miUtary  discipline 
could,  and,  in  the  end  fell  a  victim  to  the  climate  and  his 
27* 


306  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

own  intemperance.  She  was  after  this  thrown  on  the 
world  in  a  strange  country,  but  God  opened  a  way  for 
her.  She  was  hired  by  the  American  gentleman,  spoken 
of  above,  who  was  in  Malta  on  business,  in  whose  house 
at  Smyrna  she  now  lives,  and  to  whom  she  related  the 
story  of  her  forced  conversion,  as  the  reader  has  just 
heard  it.  She  has  returned  to  her  former  creed,  and  gives 
evident  signs  of  being  a  pious  and  faithful  Christian. 
From  the  two  foregoing  examples,  the  reader  may  learn, 
of  what  kind  popish  conversions  are  in  general,  and  what 
these  are  in  particular,  caused  by  the  operations  of  the  Hi- 
berno-Maltese  hero.  If  the  circumstances  attending  the 
conversions  of  the  others,  whom  he  has  placed  on  his  list  of 
proselytes,  were  examined,  it  is  probable,  nay,  it  is  certain, 
that  they  would  be  found  on  a  par  with  the  specimens  we 
have  given  :  each  and  every  one  of  them  the  effect  either 
of  imposition,  deception,  force,  or  ignorance. 

This  illiterate  monk  had  also  the  impudence  to  enter 
into  a  doctrinal  controversy  with  a  Protestant  missionary 
at  Malta,  of  the  name  of  Wilson — the  same  with  him 
that  discovered,  and  made  public,  the  knavery  of  Doctor 
Naudi,  as  already  related.  The  subject  chosen  was  the 
"  rule  of  faith," — a  subject  he  knows  as  much  about  as 
his  sanctified  founder  Dominick  did  of  pure  Christianity. 
He  had,  nevertheless,  the  presumption  to  open  the  con- 
troversy by  a  letter  of  five  or  six  pages,  addressed  to  Mr. 
Wilson,  wherein  he  endeavoured  to  bring  forward  in  his 
own  uncouth  language  the  hackneyed  arguments  of  popish 
theologians  in  favour  of  the  Romanist's  rule  of  faith — 
the  church,  the  pope,  and  tradition,  versus  the  Protes- 
tant's— the  Bible  alone.  These  arguments,  so  often  con- 
futed, he  endeavoured  to  revive  and  bring  forward  as  his 
own,  for  the  purpose  of  distinguishing  himself  among  his 
fellow  priests.  Though  Mr.  Wilson  saw  from  the  be- 
ginning into  his  real  motives,  and  judged  him  immediate- 
ly an  adversary  of  little  capability,  and  unable,  on  account 
of  his  natural  stupidity  and  neglected  education,  to  main- 
tain by  any  original  arguments  the  ground  he  had  taken  ; 
yet  hoping  that  it  might  be  the  means  of  opening  the 
eyes  of  some  benighted  follower  of  popery,  he  did  not 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,   ETC.  307 

disdain  the  weakness  of  his  adversary,  or  refuse  to  accept 
his  challenge.  In  answer  to  his  interpolations  of  old 
schoolmen,  he  published  a  very  neat  little  book,  entitled 
*'  The  Knights  of  the  Hermitage,  or  an  account  of  a  fear- 
ful and  bloody  engagement  between  Sir  Dominick  Ritual 
and  Sir  Paul  Text-book."  This  book  is  written  in  a 
serio-comic  style  :  by  the  two  knights  are  meant  the  popish 
ritual,  under  the  name  of  Sir  Dominick  Ritual ;  and  the 
Bible,  under  that  of  Sir  Paul  Text-book.  Mr.  Wilson 
puts  arguments  in  the  mouth  of  his  adversary,  which  no 
one  that  ever  knew  Padre  Butler  would  suppose  him 
guilty  of  using,  so  far  are  they  above  his  understanding  ; 
yet  his  adversary,  to  make  up  for  what  he  wants  in 
talents,  generously  supplies  him  with  the  arguments 
which  he  probably  would  use,  if  he  were  a  man  of  learn- 
ing ;  and  then  refutes  them — in  other  words,  he  supplies 
him  with  weapons,  and  then  fights  him.  And  what 
return  did  he  make  so  generous  an  enemy  ?  Did  he 
answer  him  ?  He  did,  but  in  a  summary  way,  for  he 
attempted  to  summon  him  to  the  court!  He  wanted  to 
construe  into  a  libel  some  expression,  which  Wilson  used 
in  the  course  of  argument,  and  was  determined  to  make  it 
the  subject  of  a  prosecution.  The  book  v/as  printed  in 
England,  and  though  addressed  to  Buder,  was  designed 
for  the  use  of  all  who  might  take  a  fancy  to  read  it. 
Explaining  in  a  note  a  certain  passage,  wherein  mention 
is  made  of  Butler's  name,  and  which  would  appear  ob- 
scure to  the  general  reader,  unacquainted  with  the  cause 
of  the  controversy,  the  author  says,  "  that  he  (Butler)  is 
now  vegetating  among  the  self-denying  Dominicans  of 
Malta,  and  had  recendy  stolen  on  the  last  moments  of  a 
dying  Protestant  (MuUer,  whose  history  has  been  given 
above,  I  suppose,  he  means)  to  try  to  have  the  honour 
of  converting  him  to  popery."  The  valorous  knight, 
Sir  Dominick,  being  unable  to  face  his  gallant  adversary 
in  single  combat,  and  on  equal  terms,  attempted  to  call 
to  his  assistance  his  auxUiaries,  the  lawyers  and  baUifFs 
of  Malta,  in  order  to  be  revenged  for  his  signal  defeat: 
not  considering  at  the  same  time,  that  such  a  step  would 
dishonour  him  in  the  eyes  of  all  honest  knights,  because 


308  SIX    YEARS  IN   THE 

contrary  to  the  established  laws  of  single  combat.  I  dare 
say,  his  signal  defeat  has  taught  him  to  consider  well  the 
strength  of  his  adversaries,  prior  to  engaging  them,  and, 
however  his  presumption  may  excite  him  to  enter  the  lists 
against  those  superior  to  him  in  prowess,  leaving  out  of 
the  question  the  justice  of  their  cause,  to  hide  himself  in 
future  under  the  protecting  wings  of  his  own  nothingness. 
But  I  have  taken  up  more  time  in  speaking  of  this  curious 
compound  of  ignorance  and  presumption  than  I  at  first 
intended,  not  thinking  the  man  worth  the  trouble  of  many 
remarks.  It  is  not,  however,  he  I  intended  to  portray, 
but  I  have  taken  his  person,  and  the  rank  he  holds  of 
chaplain  to  Irish  soldiers  in  Malta,  as  a  criterion,  by 
which  to  judge  of  the  general  conduct  and  endowments 
of  popish  priests,  wherever  they  are  to  be  found  ;  of  their 
roguery,  their  impositions,  their  manner  of  making  con- 
verts ;  in  fine,  of  the  fruits  of  tke  religion,  of  which  they 
are  the  ministers,  and  which  fruits,  were  they  less  bitter, 
would  be  a  greater  subject  for  wonder,  considering  the 
tree  on  which  they  grew,  than  that  they  are  in  actual 
conformity  with  the  nature  of  their  parent-branch  ;  though 
indeed  the  latter  is  no  wonder  at  all. 


CHAPTER  XXX. 

Rev.  Mr.  Lowndes,  Protestant  missionary — Greek  priests  at  Corfu — 
State  of  religion  at  Corfu^Popish  clergy  and  archbishop — Con- 
versation with  the  popish  archbishop — His  attempt  to  wheedle  me 
again  into  popery — My  answer — Persecution  by  the  popish  priests, 
and  its  effect — Zante — Popish  priests  at  Zante — Mr.  Croggon,  the 
Wesleyan  missionary — Letter  from  Smyrna  to  Mr.  Lowndes — 
The  popish  priests  attempt  to  poison  me — Effects  of  the  poison — 
Departure  from  Zante — Arrival  at  Smyrna — Conclusion. 

After  residing  some  months  in  Malta,  I  embarked  on 
board  a  Maltese  vessel  for  Corfu  ;  which  island  I  reached 
after  a  pleasant  voyage  of  ten  days.  I  had  letters  of  re- 
commendation to  some  of  the  English  residents  there, 
and  through  their  interest,  was  soon  in  possession  of  a 
gpod  income,  derived  from  teaching  Italian,  Latin,  and 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  309 

English.  I  kept  myself  as  much  as  possible  separate 
from  the  priests  of  the  island,  fearing  that  their  machina- 
tions and  influence  might  be  of  injury  to  me,  if  they 
came  to  the  knowledge  of  my  former  profession.  I 
formed  a  very  close  friendship  with  a  truly  evangelical 
missionary,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lowndes,  a  long  time  residing 
on  the  island,  to  which  he  has  been  the  means  of  render- 
ing very  great  services,  by  establishing  schools,  and 
instructing  the  people  in  the  life-giving  truths  of  the 
gospel.  To  that  pious  and  Christian  man  I  am  very 
much  indebted.  From  him  I  first  learned  what  Chris- 
tianity really  is.  Though  I  made  no  secret  of  my  So- 
cinian  views  on  religious  matters,  he  yet  endeavoured, 
not  by  persecution  and  annoyance — the  method  practised 
by  those  I  met  at  London — but  by  argument,  and  a  candid 
perusal  of  the  sacred  volume,  to  convince  me  of  my 
errors  ;  and  I  must  certainly  have  been  infatuated  not  to 
be  persuaded.  Persuaded,  however,  I  was  not,  at  that 
time,  nor  for  a  long  time  afterward.  Indeed,  it  required 
the  hand  of  God,  and  grace  from  above,  to  accomplish  so 
great  a  work.  Mr.  Lowndes  was  also  of  very  great  ser- 
vice to  me  in  a  temporal  point  of  view.  He  obtained  for 
me  many  tuitions  in  the  Greek  families,  and  were  it  not 
for  popish  persecution,  which  broke  out  as  soon  as  ever 
the  priests  discovered  (by  what  means  I  am  to  this  day 
ignorant)  my  former  profession,  I  would  have  remained 
at  Corfu  all  my  life. 

I  have  already,  in  a  former  part  of  this  work,  given  a 
sketch  of  the  state  of  religion  at  Corfu.  The  idol  Spiri- 
dione  is  the  god  of  the  island,  and  from  him  are  expected 
all  the  blessings,  spiritual  and  temporal,  which  its  inhabit- 
ants pray  for.  The  Greek  priests  are  proverbially  ignorant 
and  illiterate  ;  and,  consequently,  bigoted  in  the  extreme 
•to  their  own  superstitious  form  of  worship.  Their 
supine  ignorance  is  so  well  known,  that  the  Latin  inha- 
bitants, when  they  wish  to  express  a  more  than  usual 
degree  of  that  mother  of  devotion,  say  of  one  of  their 
acquaintances,  "  Egli  e  piu  ignorante,  che  un  papa  Greco." 
(He  is  more  ignorant  than  a  Greek  priest.)  The  greater 
part  of  the  educated  Corfuotes  are  naturalists.     They  do 


310  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

not  believe  in  Christianity  under  any  form.  Their  reli- 
gion is  that  of  nature,  and  they  take  no  pains  to  hide 
that  belief.  Some  of  them,  unable  to  bear  the  pangs  of' 
skepticism,  flee  for  relief  to  the  only  place  it  can  be 
found — to  the  Book  of  Life.  Mr.  Lowndes  has  pointed 
out  to  me  a  few  of  tlie  principal  inhabitants,  who  were 
really  pious  and  scriptural  Christians.  These  were  at 
first  infidels,  and  owe  their  conversion,  next  to  God,  to 
the  pastoral  care  of  that  gentleman. 

The  Latin  clergy  are  comparatively  more  enlightened 
than  the  Greek.  This  is  chiefly  owing  to  their  having 
received  their  education  at  Rome,  or  Bologna.  But  what 
they  gain  in  knowledge,  they  lose  in  morality,  for  they 
are  by  many  degrees  inferior  to  the  Greek  clergy  on  this 
point.  The  greater  part  of  the  latter  have  wives  and 
families.  The  Greek  priests,  who  have  not,  are  as  re- 
markable for  their  scandalous  and  immoral  lives,  as  the 
Latin  priests  themselves — a  striking  example  of  the 
effects  of  celibacy. 

There  are  in  Corfu  four  popish  churches,  governed  by 
an  archbishop,  who  is  nominated  by  the  court  of  Rome, 
and  paid  by  the  Ionian  government.  The  popish  bishop 
who  was  in  possession  of  that  see  in  my  time,  held,  as 
far  as  I  could  learn,  the  character  of  a  pious  and  good 
man,  that  is,  as  far  as  piety  and  goodness  can  form  the 
ingredients  of  a  popish  prelate ;  of  one,  who  must  be 
either  a  fool  or  an  impostor,  in  order  to  come  up  to  the 
letter  of  his  title.  When  it  was  discovered  that  I  was  a 
Roman  Catholic  clergyman,  just  escaped  from  monastic 
bondage,  the  archbishop  immediately  sent  for  me  to  his 
house.  I  thought  it  prudent  to  go  to  him.  He  inquired 
whether  what  he  had  heard  from  good  authority  concern- 
ing me  was  the  truth  ?  whether  I  had  been  a  Capuchin 
friar?  I  answered  in  the  affirmative.  He  then  told  me, 
"  that  he  was  a  long  time  wishing  for  an  Irish  priest  to 
take  charge  of  the  souls  {Ids  own  ivords)  of  the  British 
Roman  Catholic  soldiers,  who  were  quartered  in  the 
island,  and  that  if  I  wished  to  unite  myself  again  to  the 
holy  Roman  Catholic  church,  he  would  give  me  that 
chaplaincy,  with  a  fixed  salary."    He  then  entered  into  a 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  311 

long  theological  discussion,  or  rather  lecture,  (for  he  was 
the  only  speaker,)  on  the  truth  and  infallibility  of  the 
church  of  Rome,  on  the  dangers  of  heresy,  and  on  the 
miserable  death  of  the  heresiarchs.  He  endeavoured  to 
bring  before  me  the  dangerous  state  of  my  own  sou!,  if  I 
should  be  taken  off  by  the  hand  of  death,  while  living  in 
enmity  with  the  church,  and  therefore  (he  added  logically 
enough)  with  God.  To  all  this  I  turned  a  deaf  ear.  I 
told  him  plainly,  "  that  my  escape  from  popery  was  not 
the  effect  of  whim,  or  caprice,  but  of  a  firm  conviction 
of  the  fallacy  of  that  system  of  religion  ;  and  that,  though 
I  had  not  embraced  as  yet  any  other  form  of  Christian 
■worship,  I  would,  nevertheless,  rather  trust  to  the  religion 
of  nature  for  the  salvation  of  my  soul,  than  to  the  errone- 
ous and  absurd  doctrines  of  popery."  I  even  added, 
when  he  urged  his  arguments  on  the  infallibility  of  his 
church,  and  when  he  endeavoured  to  prove  from  some  say- 
ing of  Augustine — to  be  found — the  Lord  knows  where,* 
—that  the  Scriptures  themselves  were  based  on  that  in- 
fallibiUty,  which  I  deny,  "that  were  the  Scriptures  based 
on  no  better  authority  than  that  of  the  pope,  and  of  his 
church,  this  night  I  would  sleep  a  disciple  of  Voltaire." 

My  interview  with  the  archbishop  of  Corfu  passed 
over  in  this  way,  and  we  separated,  mutually  dissatisfied 
with  each  other.  I  very  soon,  however,  found  the  effects 
which  his  anger  had  upon  my  emoluments,  and  my 
means  of  subsistence.  He  could  not  opeuly  do  me  any 
injury,  or  cause  it  to  be  done  to  me,  for  he  knew  that 
he  was  not  living  under  popish  government,  and  that 
Lord  Nugent,  the  High  Commissary  of  the  Ionian 
Islands,  would  not  permit  him  to  touch  my  person.    Had 

*  A  hackneyed  quotation  from  St.  Augustine,  or  at  least,  one 
fathered  upon  that  saint,  is  in  great  vogue  with  popish  disputants. 
"iVe  quidem  ipsis  scripturis  crederem,  nisi  audoritas  Romanss 
ecclesix  me  ad  id  excitaret"  (Not  even  the  Scriptures  themselves 
would  I  believe,  unless  the  authority  of  the  Roman  church  moved 
me  thereto,)  is  in  the  mouth  of  every  popish  school-boy.  I  wish 
their  teachers  would  teach  these  boys,  that  it  is  a  sophism — what 
the  logicians  call  "  drculus  vitiosus"  to  prove  one  thing  by  another; 
to  prove  the  truth  of  the  church  from  the  Scriptures,  and  then  the 
truth  of  the  Scriptures  themselves  from  the  church. 


312  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

1  been  in  any  Italian  city,  and  expressed  myself  in  the 
way  related,  I  would  not  long  have  enjoyed  the  light  of 
heaven.  Being  unable  then,  to  avenge  himself  by  per- 
sonal violence,  he  resolved  to  starve  me  into  a  compliance 
with  his  wishes.  He  excited,  or  rather  commanded  his 
cursed  priests  to  denounce  me  from  their  altars  and  pul- 
pits. He  himself  used  his  influence  with  those  families, 
whose  children  I  was  instructing,  to  withdraw  them  from 
me.  In  fine,  I  found  myself,  after  five  months'  residence 
at  Corfu,  without  the  means  of  subsistence,  on  account 
of  the  machinations,  and  through  the  influence  of  the 
popish  priests — as  cursed  a  set  of  bigoted,  unchristian 
men,  as  ever  devoted  themselves  to  the  propagation  of  the 
soul-destroying  tenets  of  popery  ;  or  as  ever  bowed  their 
knee  to  the  beast — the  great  idol  of  the  western  churches, 
who  "  sitteth  in  the  temple  of  God,  showing  himself  as 
God." 

Finding  myself  fast  sinking  into  a  state  of  abject 
poverty,  and  unable  to  stem  the  torrent  of  persecution,  in 
which  the  priests  were  endeavouring  to  overwhelm  me, 
I  resolved  to  leave  Corfu,  and  go  to  Zante,  where  I  hoped 
to  be  less  exposed  to  popish  rancour.  Zante  is  one  of 
the  seven  Ionian  islands  under  British  protection.  The 
greater  part  of  its  inhabitants  follow  the  Greek  rite. 
There  are,  however,  followers  of  the  pope  there,  also — 
the  remnant  of  old  Venetian  families,  and  the  descendants 
of  Maltese  emigrants.  There  are,  I  believe  about  four- 
teen popish  priests  in  the  island.  These  are  governed 
by  a  bishop,  (whom  I  never  saw,)  who  is  subject  to  the 
archbishop  of  Corfu.  Were  the  most  infamous  brothels 
of  London  and  Paris  to  be  searched,  there  could  not  be 
found  in  them  fourteen  rufiians  to  match  the  fourteen  priests 
of  Zante,  in  ruflianism,  infamy,  and  debauchery.  The 
priests  of  Corfu,  nay,  even  those  of  Malta,  are  angels, 
when  compared  with  them.  Each  of  them  publicly  keeps 
a  concubine  for  his  own  individual  use,  besides  now  and 
then  leaving  her  to  pine  alone,  for  the  more  welcome 
embraces  of  some  fair  penitent.  Their  whole  time  is 
spent  in  a  coflfee  house,  situated  in  the  principal  square, 
called  "  Piazza  San  Marco."     In  this  coffee  house  they 


MONASTERIES   OF    ITALY,  ETC  313 

might  be  seen  mfoicrs,  sixes,  or  tens,  gaming,  drinking, 
and  carousing ;  not  once,  nor  ten  times,  but  so  constantly, 
as  to  acquire  for  the  house  the  name  of  "  cqffe  del  preti," 
or  the  priests'  coffee  house.  The  house  itself  has  be- 
come so  infamous  through  their  frequenting  it,  that  no 
respectable  inhabitant  of  the  island  would  be  seen  entering 
it.  It  is  therefore  frequented  by  idlers,  and  loungers 
alone  ;  by  those  who  earn  a  subsistence  by  scheming  and 
impositions — all  fit  companions  for  these  adepts  in  schem- 
ing and  imposture — the  priests. 

The  Greek  priests  of  Zante  are  for  the  most  part 
married  men.  They  have  a  greater  show  of  decorum  in 
their  general  conduct,  than  the  popish  priests ;  and  some 
of  them  really  are,  judging  at  least  from  outward  appear- 
ances, seriously  impressed  with  the  important  duties  of 
their  calling.  If  there  be  any  tincture  of  Christianity  at 
all  in  the  island,  it  must  be  looked  for  among  some  few  of 
the  Greek  priests,  though,  to  be  sure,  nearly  stifled  by  the 
superstitions,  for  which  the  Greek  as  well  as  the  popish 
church  is  remarkable.  There  is  also  a  Wesleyan  Me- 
thodist missionary,  of  the  name  of  Croggon,  residing  in 
the  island,  but  his  influence  is  very  small.  Indeed,  I 
believe  he  has  no  influence  at  all,  for  he  is  not  well  liked, 
being  quite  unfit  for  a  missionary.  At  least,  for  the  short 
acquaintance  I  had  with  him,  I  was  never  able  to  dis- 
cover any  of  the  qualifications  which  induced  the  Wes- 
leyan Missionary  Society  to  send  him  to  Zante  ;  and  not 
one  of  those  who  had  any  intimate  acquaintance  with 
him,  did  I  ever  hear  speak  of  him,  as  a  man  worthy  of 
being  respected,  or  as  desirous  of  ameliorating  the  moral 
or  intellectual  condition  of  the  people.  He  was  ignorant 
of  every  language  but  English.  Greek,  he  attempted  to 
sraatter,  but  scarcely  made  himself  intelligible.  It  may, 
then,  naturally  be  expected,  that  the  blessed  doctrines  of 
the  reformation  made  but  little  progress,  when  taught  by 
so  very  unskilful  a  teacher. 

Having  consulted  with  my  friend  Mr.  Lowndes,  and 
laid  open  to  him  the  state  to  which  I  was  driven  by  the 
persecutions  of  the  Corfu  priests,  he  advised  me  to  go  to 
Zante,  giving  me  at  the  same  time  a  letter  of  introduction 


314  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

to  Mr.  Croggon,  the  only  person  he  knew  residing  there. 
Zante  being  but  a  short  distance  from  Corfu — less  than 
twenty-four  hours'  sail — I  arrived  there  the  day  after  my 
departure  from  Corfu.  What  happened  after  my  arrival, 
and  why  I  left  it  after  a  very  short  stay,  will  be  best 
learned  from  a  letter  I  wrote  from  Smyrna  to  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Lowndes  at  Corfu.  I  find  the  copy  of  it  among  my 
other  papers,  and  shall  transcribe  it  word  for  word.  It 
will  show  of  what  popery  is  capable  now-a-days,  as  well 
as  formerly,  and  that  the  diabolical  principle,  "  the  end 
justifies  the  means,"  is  still  practised  in  every  place 
where  popery  prevails.  I  myself  am  a  living  example 
of  the  truth  of  this  assertion,  having  barely  escaped  with 
life  from  the  poisonous  cup  presented  by  the  hand  of  a 
popish  priest,  as  will  be  seen  by  those  who  take  the 
trouble  to  read  the  following  letter. 

Smyrna,  HOth  December,  1834. 

Rev.  and  dear  sir, — Gratitude  for  the  many  favours 
received  from  your  hands,  united  to  an  ardent  wish  of 
returning  my  heartfelt  thanks,  makes  me  embrace  the 
present  opportunity  of  writing  by  a  ship,  about  to  depart 
from  this  port  for  Malta,  whence  I  hope  this  letter  will 
find  its  way  to  you.  You  will  surely  be  surprised  to 
hear,  that  I  am  at  Smyrna,  and  will  wonder,  what  in- 
duced me  to  proceed  there.  Have  patience,  dear  sir, 
and  I  shall  tell  you  all,  the  how,  the  when,  and  the  where- 
fore. 

You  may,  perhaps,  remember,  indeed  I  am  sure  you 
do  remember,  that  being  unable  to  hold  out  any  longer 
against  the  unchristian-like  (though  sufficiently  popish- 
like)  persecutions  of  the  Corfu  priests,  I  determined  upon 
a  change  of  place,  and,  by  your  advice,  proceeded  to 
Zante.  Upon  my  arrival  I  sought  Mr.  Croggon,  to 
whom  you  had  kindly  given  me  a  letter  of  introduction. 
He  endeavoured  to  procure  me  some  scholars  ;  and, 
although  a  gentleman  of  very  little  influence  in  the  island, 
(the  reason  of  which  you  know  yourself,)  he  yet  suc- 
ceeded so  far,  as  to  place  me  in  a  way  of  living  indepen- 
dently, if  priestly  persecutions  would  permit  me.  I  had 
not  been  very  long  at  Zante,  when  priestly  machinations 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  315 

again  broke  out,  though  not  in  so  open,  yet  in  a  more 
insidious  manner  than  at  Corfu.  I  had  determined,  from 
my  first  arrival,  to  keep  myself  clear  of  all  communication 
■with  the  Roman  Catholic  clergy  of  the  place,  and  had  so 
far  succeeded  as  to  baffle  all  their  attempts,  though  many 
were  made,  of  becoming  acquainted  with  me.  Finding 
all  their  manoeuvres  w^ilhout  success,  they  changed  their 
mode  of  attack,  and  fixed  upon  a  plan,  which,  for  its  base- 
ness, would  do  honour  to  any  of  the  most  renowned 
ministers  of  Satan's  empire.  And  what  do  you  think 
this  plan  was  ?  Nothing  less  than  to  deprive  me  of  life 
and  honour  at  the  same  time.  They  hired  a  Roman  (Ca- 
tholic non-commissioned  officer,  belonging  to  a  British 
regiment  quartered  .in  the  island,  and  having  first  worked 
on  his  weak,  superstitious  mind,  through  the  organ  of 
confession,  they  persuaded  him  that  he  would  do  a  meri- 
torious action,  and  worthy  of  a  plenary  indulgence,  if  he 
deprived  me  of  life,  or  at  least  devised  some  method  of 
driving  me  from  Zante.  They  represented  me,  at  the 
same  time,  to  him,  as  an  excommunicated  person,  and  an 
apostate  from  "  otir  holy  mother,  the  church.''''  This 
certainly  will  appear  incredible  to  you,  as  it  has  also 
appeared  to  me,  when  first  told  of  it.  Though  well  ac- 
quainted with  the  existence  of  such  an  abominable  theory 
in  the  church  of  Rome,  I  yet  could  hardly  believe  it  pos- 
sible, that  the  priests,  monsters  as  they  are,  would  dare 
put  it  in  practice  in  a  country  boasting  British  protection, 
and,  therefore,  unused  to  such  abominations.  Indeed, 
the  mind  can  hardly  conceive  it  possible,  that  human  pre- 
judice and  bigotry  could  go  so  far  as  to  lay  down  as  a 
principle  of  morality,  that  "  to  deprive  a  fellow  creature  of 
life  is  a  meritorious  act  in  the  sight  of  God  ;^^  for,  how- 
ever popish  theologians  might  endeavour  to  cover  over 
the  plain  words  by  introducing  the  clause  "  when  the 
good  of  the  church  requires  it,^'  &c.  the  theory,  in  itself, 
is  abominable,  and  the  practice  of  it  always  amounts  to 
"  murder."  It  would  seem,  that  some  popish  teachers 
themselves  are  ashamed  of  it,  from  their  denying  its  very 
existence,  which  they  would  not  do,  if  they  could,  in  any 
way,  defend  or  excuse  it. — But  to  return. 


316  SIX   TEARS    IN    THE 

The  soldier,  fortified  with  a  general  absolution  before- 
hand, devised  I  know  not  what  method  of  becoming 
acquainted  with  me.  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  he  called  at 
my  lodgings  one  morning,  and  introduced  himself  by 
saying,  that  he  had  three  children  whom  he  wished  that 
I  should  attend  one  hour  every  day,  to  teach  them  Italian. 
He  promised  me,  at  the  same  time,  eight  dollars  a  month, 
as  a  compensation.  I  first  doubted  his  ability  to  pay  sO 
much,  but  farther  inquiry  satisfied  me  that  he  had  the  _ 
means,  having,  besides  his  pay  as  a  non-commissioned 
officer,  another  salary  from  some  government  employ- 
ment. Thus  thrown  off  my  guard,  and  not  having  the 
least  suspicion  (and  how  could  I  ?)  of  any  evil  intended 
me,  I  frequently  met  with  the  aforesaid  man.  One  day, 
in  particular,  he  invited  me  to  accompany  him  to  a 
friend's  house.  I  consented.  He  conducted  me  to  a 
house,  not  very  distant  from  the  "  caffe.  del  preti,^^  (the 
priests'  coflfee  house,)  and  to  my  great  astonishment, 
ushered  me  into  a  room,  where  the  first  thing  that 
attracted  my  notice  was  four  or  five  priests  carousing ; 
some  of  them  in  a  beastly  state  of  intoxication.  It  was 
now  too  late  to  retreat.  They  prevailed  upon  me  to  sit 
down,  and  as  an  introduction  to  conversation,  handed  me 
a  glass  of — what  I  then  thought  was  wine,  but  which  I 
afterward  discovered  to  my  cost  to  be — poison,  with  a 
colouring  of  wine.  I  drank  it — and  in  a  few  moments 
after  became  insensible.  I  recollect  nothing  farther  of 
what  occurred.  The  next  morning  I  awoke  in  a  burning 
fever,  which  continued  without  intermission  for  ten  days. 
I  was,  as  I  was  afterward  informed,  carried  in  a  state  of 
insensibility  to  my  lodgings.  The  garrison  physician, 
who  was  a  friend  of  mine,  being  sent  for,  he  immediately 
gave  it  as  his  opinion,  that  I  had  been  poisoned.  To  his 
skill  and  treatment,  I  owe,  under  God,  my  life.  It  was 
well  for  me  that  the  poison  was  so  powerful,  and  that  it 
caused  immediate  insensibility  ;  for  had  it  been  less  rapid 
in  its  operations,  I  would  have  retired  to  bed,  without 
any  suspicion  of  the  real  cause  of  my  sickness,  and  then 
sunk  into  an  eternal  sleep. 

The  civil  authorities  of  Zante  wished  to  set  on  foot  an 


MONASTERIES    OF    ITALY,    ETC.  317 

inquiry  on  the  subject,  but  I  begged  that  it  might  be 
dropped,  being  unwilling  to  render  myself  an  object  of 
curiosity,  and  fearing  other  attempts  on  my  life.  In 
about  fifteen  days  I  found  myself  sufficiently  recovered 
to  depart  from  the  jsland — a  thing  I  had  before  deter- 
mined upon.  I  passed  on,  accordingly,  to  Cephalonia, 
where  I  remained  but  a  few  days.  From  Cephalonia  I 
went  to  Patrass,  and  thence  to  Nauplion,  or  Napoli^  di 
Romania.  Not  being  able  to  procure  employment  in  the 
latter  city,  and  not  having  the  wit  to  live  without  it,  I  re- 
solved to  leave  the  civilized  world  altogether,  and  try  my 
fortune  among  the  Turks.  A  vessel  departing  for  Smyrna, 
(Asia  Minor,)  presented  an  opportunity  of  putting  my 
design  in  execution.  I  took  a  passage  in  her,  and  with- 
out any  thing  remarkable  having  occurred  during  the 
voyage,  I  arrived  safely  in  this  city,  (Smyrna.)  I  am 
now  residing  in  the  house  of  the  Rev.  W.  B.  Lewis,  an 
Irish  clergyman,  and  missionary  to  the  Jews  of  this  city. 
He  has  treated  me  with  exceedingly  great  kindness,  and 
I  hope,  through  his  influence,  to  be  shortly  in  a  way  of 
being  useful  to  myself  and  others. 

This,  my  dear  sir,  is  a  brief  narrative  of  what  occurred 
since  my  departure  from  Corfu,  and  of  the  hoin,  the  ivhy, 
and  the  wherefore,  I  left  Zante.  A  great  change  has  also 
taken  place  in  my  spiritual  concerns.  You  knew  me 
when  bordering  on  deism,  and  yon  had  also  the  conside- 
ration to  attribute  such  a  state  of  mind,  rather  to  the 
absurd  doctrines  of  the  church  from  which  I  had  lately 
escaped,  than  to  any  innate,  or  natural  depravity,  peculiar 
to  myself.  You  judged  right.  The  transition  from 
popery  to  Christianity  is  rarely,  if  ever,  ihe  work  of  a 
day.  It  requires  some  time  to  heal  the  wounds  inflicted 
on  the  mind  by  popish  superstitions.  Now,  I  trust,  how- 
ever, that,  without  presumption,  I  can  say,  '^  I  have  found 
a  Saviour."  I  acknowledge  the  hand  of  God,  even  in 
his  chastisements.  Perhaps  he  has  made  use  of  the 
above  sufferings,  only  to  bring  me  to  a  closer  union  with 
himself.  My  reliance  upon  his  mercy  is  so  strong,  that 
I  would  not  now  shrink  from  the  whole  court  of  Rome, 
with  the  pope  at  its  head,  if  it  should  think  proper  to 
28^ 


318  SIX   YEARS    IN  THE 

begin  a  crusade  against  my  insignificance.  Neither  pope 
nor  popery,  priest  nor  priestcraft,  shall  separate  me  from 
the  love  of  God,  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord.  I 
conclude  then,  protesting  myself 

Your  obliged,  humble  servant, 

S.  I.  Mahoney. 

From  the  foregoing  letter  the  reader  will  be  able  to 
judge  of  the  difficulties  into  which  my  renunciation  of 
popery  had  plunged  me.  He  will  also  acquire  a  know- 
ledge of  the  manner  in  which  the  pope's  myrmidons,  the 
priests,  treat  those  whose  consciences  oblige  them  to 
separate  from  their  communion.  Many  other  instances 
could  be  given,  equal  and  even  surpassing  in  heinousness 
that  by  which  my  own  life  was  endangered ;  but  as  this 
book  has  already  reached  a  greater  bulk  than  was  at  first 
intended,  I  shall  pass  them  over  in  silence  for  the  present. 
Before  I  conclude,  however,  I  must  say  a  few  words,  on 
the  state  of  religion  in  general,  and  more  especially  on  the 
state  of  the  popish  religion  at  Smyrna. 

The  Greek  church  is  that  which,  next  to  Mahometan- 
ism,  counts  the  greater  number  of  adherents  at  Smyrna. 
The  Greek  priests  of  Smyrna  are  generally  better  educat- 
ed, and  more  enlightened,  than  priests  of  the  same  church 
in  the  Morea,  and  islands  of  the  Archipelago  ;  they  are, 
however,  equally  superstitious,  and  sunk  into  the  same 
indifference  for  the  Scriptures  which  distinguishes  the 
latter.  There  are  many  schools  kept  by  priests,  wherein 
the  children  are  taught  to  read  and  write.  The  Scrip- 
tures are  also  read  in  some  of  them  ;  but  the  latter  are 
chiefly  under  the  direction  of  Protestant  missionaries. 
The  Greek  clergy  of  Smyrna  is  in  general  a  very  moral 
body  of  men.  The  greater  part  of  those  composing  it 
is  married  ;  which  perhaps  is  the  reason  that  very  few 
examples  of  public  scandal — so  very  frequent  in  popish 
countries — are  afforded  by  priests. 

The  pope  has  also  his  adherents  at  Smyrna.  There 
are  two  convents  of  Latin  monks  there:  one  called  "  il 
convento  Frangese,""  (French  convent,)  belonging  to  the 
respectable  order  of  Capuchins  ;  the  other,  to  the  no  less 


MONASTERIES    OP   ITALY,   ETC.  319 

respectable  one  of  the  "  Zoccolonti,"  or  tvooden-shod 
Franciscans.  In  the  latter,  the  popish  missionary  bishop 
resides.  He  is  a  Frenchman,  and  is  possessed  of  as  little 
Christianity,  and  as  much  bigotry  and  superstition,  as 
distinguished  his  countrymen  before  the  memorable  revo- 
lution of  '89,  and  which  led  them,  in  the  end,  to  establish 
by  law  the  worship  of  the  ^'■goddess  of  reason."  The 
monks  in  Smyrna  come  up,  in  point  of  morality,  with 
their  brethren  at  Jerusalem  ;  a  description  of  whom  has 
been  already  given.  Popery  is  indeed  the  same  in  every 
place.  Popish  practices  and  popish  doctrines  have  the 
same  demoralizing  effect  on  the  lives  of  the  followers  of 
popery  at  Rome,  as  at  Jerusalem  ;  at  Smyrna,  as  in  Ire- 
land. The  monks  make  use  of  the  same  arts  for  extort- 
ing money  from  the  deluded  people  in  one  place  as  in  the 
other.  Monks  indeed,  wherever  they  might  be  found, 
may  take  for  their  motto,  the  Italian  verses : 

Con  arte,  e  con  inganno 
Si  vive  la  meta  dell'anno ; 
Con  inganno,  e  con  arte 
Si  vive  I'altra  parte. 

By  art  and  by  deceit 
One  half  the  year,  we  eat  ; 
By  deceit  and  by  art 
We  eat,  the  remaining  part* 

The  monks  of  Smyrna  are,  for  the  most  part,  Italiins, 
or  Smyrniotes.  I  knew  one  of  the  latter,  who  studied 
at  Rome,  and  whom  I  saw  afterward  at  Smyrna.  His 
name  is  "  Padre  Giovanni  Battista,"  (Father  John  Bap- 
tist.) While  a  student  at  Rome,  he  was  distinguished 
for  nothing  more  than  for  his  asinine  stupidity.  He  has, 
however,  since  his  arrival  at  Smyrna,  acquired  the  name  of 
a  great  preacher,  and  is  esteemed  highly  by  some  of  the 
people  ;  but  more  especially  by  his  fair  penitents,  to  some 
of  whom  he  has  been  the  cause  (and  I  know  it  from  good 
authority)  of  giving  the  title  of  "  Mamma,"  a  title  similar 

*  The  reader  wrill  have  the  goodness  to  excuse  the  above  abortive 
attempt  at  poetry.  The  gods  have  not  made  me  a  poet,  nor  do  I  lay 
any  prclnnsions  to  the  title  of  one. 


320  SIX    YEARS    IN    THE 

to  his  own  of  "  Padre,"  thus  proving  himself  a  father  in 
the  double  sense  of  the  word;  as  Vf priest,  and  as  it  is 
received  in  common  parlance.  Indeed,  I  doubt  much, 
if  there  be  a  popish  priest  in  the  world,  who  is  not  more 
entitled  to  the  endearing  title  of  "  Father"  than  their 
friends  give  them  credit  for. 

It  is  now  full  time  to  bring  this  work  to  a  close,  for 
indeed  I  fear,  that  the  reader  is  already  as  tired  of  read- 
ing as  I  myself  am  of  relating  the  abominations  of  pope- 
ry, and  of  her  soul-deceiving  ministers.  Let  it  not  be 
supposed,  that  it  is  against  the  latter,  as  men,  that  this 
work  is  directed.  No,  it  is  not  with  a  view  of  bringing 
odium  on  priests,  as  men  or  individuals,  that  these  pages 
have  been  put  together.  It  is  against  their  doctrines,  and 
against  their  practices — the  necessary  consequences  of 
such  doctrines.  I  love  a  priest  as  well  as  I  love  any 
other  of  my  fellow  creatures  ;  but  then,  I  do  not  love  him 
for  his  being  a  priest,  but  because  he  is  a  man.  Were  I 
to  look  on  him  only  as  a  priest,  I  should  be  rather  in- 
clined to  hale  him,  as  a  personification  of  dishonesty  ;  for 
I  cannot  conceive  it  possible,  that  an  honest  man  could 
remain  a  popish  priest,  that  is,  a  teacher  of  false  doctrines 
and  deceiver  of  the  people.  There  are,  perhaps,  some 
priests  who  are  really  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  doc- 
trines they  teach,  and  of  the  lawfulness  of  the  practices 
which  are  peculiarly  the  church  of  Borne'' s  own  ;  but 
these,  I  fear,  are  few,  very  few  in  number.  I  have  not, 
during  the  many  years  I  was  domesticated  with  the  popish 
clergy,  ever  known  one  of  them,  whose  talents  were  above 
mediocrity,  a  believer  in  the  absurdities,  which,  as  a 
priest,  he  was  obliged  to  teach  the  people.  They  were, 
for  the  most  part,  infidels  ;  and  those  who  were  not  infi- 
dels were  Protestants,  really  and  truly  protesting  in  their 
own  minds  against  the  abominations  of  popery,  with  as 
much  sincerity  as  the  most  zealous  Christians  have  ever 
done.  Personal  safety  obliged  them  to  keep  their 
abhorrence  of  popery  to  themselves  ;  but  if  they  had  the 
use  of  their  own  free  will,  they  would  soon  throw  off,  as 
many  have  done,  when  an  opportunity  presented,  the 
outside  of  popery,  and  declare  themselves  gospel  Chris- 


MONASTERIES    OP    ITALT,   ETC.  321 

tians.  The  church  of  Rome,  then,  according  to  my 
opinion,  is  wholly  upheld  by  the  secular  arm,  in  those 
countries  where  she  is  the  established  church,  and  by 
some  few  men  of  talents,  who,  though  not  believing  in 
her  doctrines,  yet  defend  her,  because  they  get  a  sub- 
sistence by  her.  In  those  countries  where  she  is  not  the 
established  church,  she  is  upheld  by  the  ignorance  of  the 
people,  the  cunning  of  the  priests,  and  last,  not  least, 
by  the  persecutions  of  Protestant  governments.  Ire- 
land will  serve  as  an  example^  of  the  latter  method  of 
supporting  popery.  Will  any  one  suppose,  that  it  was 
through  love  for  the  pope,  or  his  religion,  that  the  Irish 
resisted,  and  still  resist  all  attempts  to  make  them  gospel 
Christians  ?  I  would  as  soon  believe  that  the  church  of 
Rome  is  the  church  of  Christ,  as  believe  any  such  thing  ! 
The  true  and  only  support  of  popery  in  Ireland  was  the 
persecuting  spirit  of  Protestants  ;  that  is,  of  those,  who, 
disguised  under  the  name  of  Protestants,  but  who  were 

really  little  better  than  d Is,  came   to   butcher  and 

slaughter  the  unfortunate  Irish,  for  the  sake  of  obtaining 
possession  of  their  properties,  or  depriving  them  of  their 
emoluments.  The  penal  code,  that  disgrace  to  England, 
has  then  been  of  more  real  service  to  the  pope  and  to  the 
Irish  priests,  than  all  the  bulls  the  former  issued  from 
the  Vatican,  or  than  all  the  curses  the  latter  pronounced 
from  their  altars.  When  the  people  were  oppressed,  to 
whom  could  they  more  naturally  fly  for  consolation  than 
to  a  minister  of  religion  ?  This  riveted  the  people's 
chains,  and  the  priests'  power  grew  stronger,  according 
as  the  oppressions  received  from  their  Protestant  task- 
masters grew  more  insupportable.  Oppression  and  per- 
secution are  then  the  real  causes,  to  which  the  adherence 
of  Ireland  to  popery  must  be  attributed,  and  not,  by  any 
means,  because  the  Irish  love  popery  for  its  own  sake— 
a  thing  impossible,  for  they  do  not  understand  it. 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 

This  book  is  due  on  the  date  indicated  below,  or  at  the 
expiration  of  a  definite  period  after  the  date  of  borrowing, 
as  provided  by  the  rules  of  the  Library  or  by  special  ar- 
rangement with  the  Librarian  in  charge. 

DATE  BORROWED 

DATE  DUE 

DATE  BORROWED 

DATE  DUE 

'^W43 

PE0j 

^7^00$ 

1 

\\  W     1 

1  ?nns 

^^ 

x^  kyvv' 

* ' 

C28(239)M100 

,__J 

m 


0042830877 


1  S32.3 


M  2.7' 


v3 

r 


